Team Kakashi
by New Orion
Summary: The sequel to Team Obito. Look into the lives of the next generation of ninja as they learn what it takes not just to be ninja but people.
1. Chapter 1

"This chakra." Minato Uzumaki, son of Naruto and Sakura Uzumaki. gasped holding his chest and breathing heavily. He looked over to the young Itachi Uchiha. "I can barely breathe with it."

"I know." Itachi, son of Sasuke Uchiha, and Hinata Hyuuga breathed out. "I don't know if we can outrun it."

Minato grabbed Itachi's shoulders. "We are genin of the Village Hidden in the Leaves." His green eyes boring into Itachi's black ones. "We were trained for this."

"But she's jonin level." Itachi said. "How are we supposed to outrun her?"

Minato looked behind himself where he felt the angry chakra coming from. "I don't know." He said. "But we have to try."

Itachi nodded as the two continued to jump through the trees. Minato felt a tug on his ankle then felt his entire world get turned upside down as he was lifted into the air dangling from his leg. "Run save yourself!" He screamed struggling with the rope.

"Not a chance." Itachi said throwing a kunai at the rope cutting it and freeing Minato who flipped and landed on his feet. "You ok?"

"We don't have time!" Minato screamed as he started running again. "She's almost here."

Itachi looked back and could see their pursuer feeling his heart skip he turned around and began to run after his blond friend. "She's right behind us!" He screamed.

"I know." Minato said gritting his teeth. He looked up as he saw another person land on a branch in front of them. "Kakashi Sensei, thank Kami!" He exclaimed running up to the jonin sensei.

"We're saved!" Itachi shouted landing beside the jonin.

"What have you done?" Kakashi asked with a look of horror in his eyes.

"We can't talk right now, she's coming!" Minato shouted pointing towards their pursuer.

Kakashi nodded and in the blink of an eye grabbed both genin in a head lock. "You have to pay for what you've done!"

"Let us go." Itachi said trying to free himself.

Their pursuer landed in front of them looking down at the boys with anger filled eyes. "You too are going to pay."

"What did they do Sakura?" Kakashi asked looking at the pink haired doctor.

"You want to know what they did?" Sakura asked. "Let me show you what your students did."

"If I take the heat for this you two will be training with Rock Lee." Kakashi whispered to the boys in his arms.

XXXX

Kakashi stood in the Hyuuga district and saw that for some reason everyone had black out sunglasses on. "Is that all?" He asked looking around. "They gave them all sunglasses?"

"There they are!" Neji shouted storming over to the boys.

"Neji why are you holding a white cane?" Kakashi asked pointing to the cane in Neji's hand.

"They glued the canes and glasses to everyone in the compound!" The jonin commander shouted.

Kakashi had to stifle his laugh under the glares from Sakura and Neji. "How did they even get in here?"

"We don't know." Neji said looking at the boys. "How did you do it?"

"Ninjas have to have secrets." Minato said cheekily grinning at the long haired jonin.

Sakura grabbed Minato by the ear. "You just wait until your father hears about this."

Itachi let out a breath of relief. "Oh don't worry." Neji said crossing his arms. "I've already told your mom."

"You what?" Itachi asked terrified.

Kakashi took a few steps away from the scared Uchiha. "Sorry dude, you're on your own."

"She can't be that mad." Itachi tried to reason.

Neji bent down in front of Itachi. "You want a bet?"

"Itachi Uchiha!" Hinata screamed walking over to her son through the gates of the compound followed by Sarada. Both wearing black out shades and holding white canes.

"But we didn't." He started.

"I know." Neji said grinning as his cousin approached her son.

"You are in so much trouble!" She said. "What's the matter with you?" She asked before looking around and seeing that everyone else was wearing the same sun glasses that her and her daughter were wearing. "We're going home right now and you're figuring out how to dissolve this mess!"

She grabbed him by his arm and pulled him away. "I am so sorry Neji." She said.

"Not a problem Lady Hinata." Neji said bowing to the Hyuuga.

After Itachi was pulled away by Hinata and Sarada Kakashi turned to look at Neji. "They didn't glue their faces did they?"

Neji grinned looking ahead.

"You set them up." Kakashi said laughing. "That is amazing!" Kakashi laughed patting the Hyuuga on the back.

"Just wait." Neji said.

"What for?" Kakashi asked when he looked to the gate and saw his mother coming towards him also with glasses and a cane. "When did you?"

"Kakashi Uchiha." Rin stormed up to her son. "What were you thinking, you're a jonin instructor now." Her eyes widened behind the glasses when she looked around and saw that the Hyuuga were in the same predicament as she was. "I'm going to kill you." She said blankly looking at her son.

"I didn't do it." Kakashi pleaded. "It was Minato and Itachi."

"Blaming your genin for a prank that was your idea?" Neji asked. His Byakugan activated. "I can see the glue and plans in your weapons pouch.

"My what?" He asked as his mother walked up and reached into his weapons pouch with her unglued hand pulling out the massive tube and a scroll.

"I can't believe you." She said in shock.

"But I didn't." Kakashi defended.

"So someone just put those in your pouch?" Neji asked.

Rin stopped glaring at her son for a moment and looked at Neji. "Did you do this?" She asked a smirk crossing her face.

Neji chuckled. "It's impossible to fool you Lady Rin." He reached into his pocket and handed her another tube. "That should dissolve the glue."

"Thank you." She said applying the glue to her palm and leaving.

"Oh but you're not angry with him?" Kakashi shouted gesturing to the grinning Hyuuga.

"I'll leave you to handle the rest." Neji said turning around and walking back towards his house.

 **AN: I just want to take a moment to thank everyone who has read Team Obito and thank again to everyone who reviewed it. This is the start to Team Kakashi that is more of a oneshot that will lead into the meat of the plot. Just a quick heads up this story may not get updated as much as the original because I'm currently working on my original project that I hope to get published soon. For now enjoy the beginning of Team Kakashi and as always reviews are amazing.**


	2. Chapter 2

Naruto could hear the screams of his friends. "Whatever you are I'm walking out of here with Naruto!" Sasuke shouted looking down at the pale and horned face of Naruto.

"I'm right here!" The floating Naruto said looking down at his friends. "Why can't you see me?"

Sasuke let out a scream of agony as his body went limp and floated away.

"Sasuke!" Sakura screamed before her hands started glowing and she tried to heal Naruto.

The white Naruto's hand reached up and grabbed Sakura's throat. "It's too late." It said as a peaceful smile came over his face and Sakura dispersed into nothing. The white Naruto looked up at the real one that was floating and staring in shock.

"You can't keep me sealed forever." The woman's voice said looking at the blond. "Eventually you and Indra will die and I shall reclaim what is mine."

XXXX

Naruto shot up in bed sweating. "What's wrong?" Sakura asked rolling over and looking at the fear in her husband's eyes. "Did you have another dream?" She asked forcing herself to wake up.

Naruto immediately wrapped his arms around Sakura and held her. "I'm sorry for waking you." He said not realizing how tight his grip was.

"It's ok, I'm right here." Sakura said rubbing the back of his head. "Everyone is ok."

"Why do I keep having this same dream?" He asked breathing in her scent. "It's been years since that happened."

"I wish I could tell you." Sakura said still petting the back of his head. "Why don't we go back to sleep, I'm sure you'll feel better." She said leaning back into the bed with him.

XXXX

The next morning Minato came out of his room and walked down the hall to where he saw his father eating breakfast. "Morning dad." He said quietly.

"Minato." Naruto said. "You wanna tell me about what happened yesterday?"

"Um." Minato said shifting under his father's gaze as he sat in the chair across from him.

"How'd you do it?" Naruto asked a smile crossing his face.

"Naruto!" Sakura shouted walking over to the table.

"Come on Sakura." Naruto defended gesturing to his son. "Even me and Sasuke were never able to get away with doing anything to the Hyuuga's. It's like they have eyes in the back of their heads." He held his hands behind his head like they were glasses.

"It's the Byakugan baka!" Sakura shouted. "He did something bad and he should be punished!"

"Was it really that bad?" Naruto asked earning a glare from his wife. "I mean as a ninja that was a terrible thing to do to people in your village. But as a ninja," He said with extra emphasis on the word. "It was easily one of the most impressive feats of stealth I've ever seen." He looked back at Minato. "This is your one." He said holding his finger up. "And you're only getting it because it was damn near impossible. Do something like this again and my hands will be tied and I'll have to take action as Hokage."

"I understand." Minato said hanging his head.

"I still say he got off easy." Sakura said crossing her arms and grabbing her toast.

"By all means give him some chores." Naruto said smirking.

"Dad!" Minato pleaded. "I thought you said this was my one?"

"The Hokage said that, not your father." Naruto said standing up from the table. "And your father wants the yard raked." He turned around quickly. "No jutsus." He added pointing at his son. "And it will be done after whatever other punishments Kakashi wants you to have."

Minato slumped his shoulders. "Yes sir." He said not looking up from the table.

XXXX

Itachi yawned as he walked into his living room and saw his sister glaring at him with her white eyes. "I already told you it wasn't me." He said gesturing to himself. "It must've been Uncle Neji."

Sarada flipped the page on the book she was on not breaking eye contact as her Byakugan activated. "It better not happen again."

"Agreed." Hinata said walking into the room. "You're lucky Naruto decided to be lenient on your official punishments and is letting Kakashi decide what those are. But here under this roof I have plenty planned for you."

"Like what?" Itachi asked scared.

"Sarada." Hinata said glancing to her daughter.

In the blink of an eye the Byakugan Uchiha was in front of her brother wither her dojutsu active. She slammed her palms into his neck pushing him back.

Itachi stumbled away and once he regained his footing he turned to look at his mother and sister and tried shouting something but nothing came out.

"She blocked the chakra point connecting your vocal chords." Hinata informed. "You won't be able to talk for the next few hours and you are to do everything Kakashi asks you to do." She said pointing her finger in his face.

Itachi crossed his arms and looked up at the picture of his entire family including his father. Hinata followed his line of sight. "I'm sure he'll be home any day now."

Itachi turned around and silently walked out the front door. "What a baby." Sarada said watching her brother leave.

"He's at that age." Hinata said with a sigh. She remembered what it was like to be young and not have a parent that you could relate to.

XXXX

The ground was even on this road. Most out here tend to be bumpy and uncomfortable on your feet after a few hours of walking. That's why ninjas often jumped from tree to tree in order to get around. Sasuke looked to the side where he thought he heard something. He grabbed his sword and pulled it out. "Come out." He demanded activating his Sharingan.

"Scary eyes." A man with slicked back white hair said coming out from the bushes. "I met a guy that had eyes like that once." He said chuckling to himself. "No matter what I did my attacks would phase right through him."

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked.

"I want you to help me out." The man said holding out his three bladed scythe. "The guy I'm currently working for, well I think it's a guy." The man looked at the ground in deep thought. "I guess he's kind of like a plant." He said rubbing his head.

"Get to the point!" Sasuke shouted his eyes shifting to their mangekyo state.

"My bad." The man said chuckling and resting his weapon over his shoulder. "He wants to hire you. Don't know why he had to send me to tell you."

"Not interested." Sasuke said simply.

"He was worried that would be your answer." The man said taking a deep breath. "He told me that I can't kill you, but if I want to take a few limbs that's fine."

"Are you threatening me?" Sasuke asked narrowing his red eyes at the man in front of him.

The man put his finger to his chin. "I'm pretty sure that's what's happening here." He chuckled. "I've never done something like this."

"You've never fought someone?" Sasuke asked wondering why an amateur would be foolish enough to face him.

"Oh I've fought tons of people." The man waved him off. "I've just never let anyone survive." He said lowering his weapon into the ready position.

"You sure sound sure of yourself. Do you even know who I am?" Sasuke asked glaring at the man in front of him.

"Sasuke Uchiha. Student of Obito the Untouchable sixth Hokage of the village hidden in the leaves." He grinned, "And you yourself are the current spymaster for the seventh?"

"You're well informed." Sasuke said. "Do you know what I'm capable of?"

"Bits and pieces. But you know nothing about me?"

"Hidan the Immortal." Sasuke calmly said as Hidan's face lost its humor. "I know damn well I can't kill you under normal circumstances, but I doubt you'll be able to even leave on scratch on me."

"Shut up!" Hidan screamed charging forward at Sasuke and swinging his scythe in an arc at the Uchiha. "I don't care what I was told, Lord Jashin shall gain your soul!"

Sasuke looked forward as a purple shroud surrounded him. "You're outmatched, and you know too much about me. I can't let you leave."

"What are you going to do? You can't kill me!" Hidan screamed slamming his scythe into Sasuke's Susanoo.

"You're right." Sasuke said as Susanoo reached out and grabbed Hidan pinning his arms at his side. "But I can take your body away from you."

He sliced his sword removing the Immortal's head as it rolled on the ground. "Pathetic." Sasuke said walking over to the moving head.

"I swear to Jashin I will kill everyone you love!" Hidan's head screamed.

Sasuke picked it up by the hair and tucked it into the bag he was carrying as he continued his journey home.

"That hurts you bastard!" Hidan yelled from inside the bag.

"Shut up." Sasuke sighed.


	3. Chapter 3

Sasuke walked through the village on his way to the Hokage's tower where he knew where his best friend and brother would be working, he hoped.

He could see the young children playing ninja, and some even reenacting battles he had been there for. Luckily most of them would never know the horror of the battles that don't get told. He knew that everyone in his team had a battle like that in their lives that they didn't talk about except on rare occasions. He considered his fight with Naruto at the Valley of the End to be one of those fights.

It wasn't the horrors that some saw on the battlefield but it left emotional scars in both their hearts that took a long time to heal. He was pulled out of his thoughts when he made his way past the academy where he and the rest of his class were trained to be killers from a young age. He chuckled to himself when he realized how that is exactly what he wanted too.

He wanted to see Itachi dead, that was his goal and aspiration. When compared to Naruto's goal to protect those he cared about and become Hokage, Sasuke's goal to kill the person that took his first family away from him almost seemed silly in comparison.

He looked up to the Hokage tower where he saw two of the most important people in his entire life. Obito Uchiha was the man that took him in after the young Sasuke lost everything, and made him feel at home and safe. He was also the person that trained him how to be a killer and then taught him that wasn't the point of being a ninja.

He looked over to the other head. That was a real ninja, Naruto Uzumaki, his brother in everything but blood. He strived from day one to improve the lives of everyone around him and even in the worst of situations always worked to protect everyone, even in times his enemies.

When it came time to decide who should be the next Hokage, the villagers all cheered for Naruto Uzumaki the hero of the Fourth Great Ninja War. But the ninjas that had been there and even others that had worked with him choose Naruto Uzumaki the man. Sasuke didn't envy often but when he did it usually was aimed at Naruto, and not by anything that the blond had earned, because Sasuke was proud of his abilities, sometimes even going overboard with them.

Instead he envied Naruto's natural energy and the way he could draw people to him. Sasuke had witnessed it firsthand having met Naruto a broken child that had lost everything. The woman he would one day marry Sakura, saw it in him shortly after getting to know Naruto and learning what he had to deal with and fell for him just as hard as he fell for her, maybe.

Sasuke smirked to himself when his mind wandered to thinking of his own family. Hinata had just been some girl in his class years ago and somehow the two became friends and then something more after that. Thinking back he couldn't remember when they started being something more.

He heard shouting children around where he was and he knew knowing his family he was about to walk into a house filled with shouting. Likely because of Itachi, in the past few months since he became a genin he became brash and would act out more than he used to.

Sasuke walked through the doors to the Hokage tower and luckily the first person he saw was just the person he was looking for. "Shikamaru." He called to the Nara who was reading papers that were on a clipboard.

"Sasuke." The ponytailed man said waving to the Uchiha. "Welcome back." He looked around the wanderer. "Didn't you want to stop home first?"

"I've got something for torture and intelligence." He said handing the Nara the bag who opened it and looked inside.

"Get me out of here you ponytailed fuck!" Shikamaru shut the bag quickly and looked around to see if anyone noticed.

"Sasuke, I trust your judgement and all, but I've gotta ask. Is this a live head?" He said shaking the bag.

"He's Immortal." Sasuke said crossing his arms. "He said he was hired to recruit me, and I want to know by who."

"Ok." Shikamaru said waving his hand in front of himself. "Let's take a step back, Immortal?"

"Yes that's what I said. He can't be killed, at least not through conventional means because I left his head miles back." Sasuke said with a shrug. "Now if you don't mind I'm going to go and see my family."

Shikamaru chuckled as Sasuke turned around. "Good luck."

Sasuke sighed. "Itachi?"

"Him and Minato got the entire Hyuuga clan?" The Nara said about to turn around. Sasuke started to laugh, "Including your wife and daughter."

The laughing stopped immediately. "Is he ok?"

"Just go." Shikamaru said. "I'll give you a head start before I tell the Hokage."

"Thanks." Sasuke said walking out the door.

Shikamaru opened the bag. "You son of a bitch when I get out of here I'm going to…"

"I'm going to introduce you to my good friend Tenten." Shikamaru said with a grin walking towards the intel 'offices'.

XXXX

Sasuke opened the door to his house and looked around and was shocked to find that the house was silent. He looked around the door and saw Sarada reading a large scroll. Her head poked over the paper. "Daddy!" She said excitedly running to the door.

"Hey Spark!" Sasuke said pulling his daughter into a hug. After the hug he looked around. "Where's Itachi?"

Sarada crossed her arms. "The idiots are outside."

"Idiots?" Sasuke asked putting emphasis on the S.

Sarada gestured to the back of the house and the two Uchiha's walked outside to see Hinata and Sakura sitting on the porch sipping on tea. "Hey sweet heart." Hinata said with a mix of spite in her voice.

He looked to the yard and saw Minato and Itachi cutting the grass using wind chakra in kunai. "This is intense."

"We got the idea from Lady Rin." Sakura said taking a sip of her tea.

"I know." Sasuke said with a shudder. "I told the dobe it was a bad idea." He came back to reality and looked at the women. "So what did they do?"

Hinata handed a picture of Neji with the blackout glasses to Sasuke. "They did this?"

Hinata nodded crossing her arms and watching the boys at work. "They got everyone in the compound plus me and Sarada."

"We didn't get Aunt Hinata and Sarada." Minato pleaded.

"I don't see you cutting." Sakura said.

"How did the dobe react?" Sasuke said crossing his arms.

"Same way you want to." Hinata said sipping her tea. "He was impressed."

"How do you infiltrate the Hyuuga? We were never able to pull that off." Sasuke said loudly.

"You tried?" Hinata asked shocked.

"Your father did not like me." Sasuke chuckled.

"Stop it Sasuke." Rin said coming into the back yard. "It's good to see you back." She said smiling at him.

"Hey Rin." Sasuke said gently smiling. "Why hasn't Itachi talked at all?"

The young Uchiha stood up straight and gestured to his neck and then to his eyes and mimed a palm strike.

"You did that to our son?" Sasuke asked looking at Hinata.

"I didn't do it." She said grinning.

"You taught Sarada how to do it?"

Sarada nodded her head activating her Byakugan. "I looked ridiculous."

Sasuke smiled. "How are you guys not bored?"

"There's a special part of a woman that enjoys watching a stupid man pay for what he's done." Rin said sitting beside Sakura.

"Is that why Obito was so well behaved?" Sasuke asked.

"Worked for you boys." She said a wicked grin crossing her features.

"The women in my life are evil." Sasuke said before looking to Rin. "Where's Kakashi."

"With Mirai." Rin said knowing exactly what the Uchiha was thinking.

"I won't be gone long." He said waving away.

XXXX

Kakashi and his fellow Jonin and former teammate were walking through the village enjoying their quiet time between missions. That's what either of them would tell you, everyone else in their family knew they were together even if they didn't.

Mirai felt the chakra spike but could tell that Kakashi wasn't paying attention as he looked at the sky above. "You should really work on your chakra sensing." She giggled to him.

"Don't really need it with my Sharingan." He said casually before he looked at her confused. "Why?"

"No reason." Mira said smirking and turning towards a heavily wooded area.

"What are we doing here?" Kakashi asked looking around confused.

"Wanted to see what would happen." She said swinging her hips around a bit.

"What do you mean?" Kakashi asked blushing.

"Oh nothing."

"What about me?" Sasuke asked reaching around Kakashi's arm and flipping him onto the ground.

"Honestly, I was expecting more." Mirai said shrugging her shoulders and looking at the older Uchiha.

"You ass." Kakashi said groaning on the ground. "What was that for?"

Sasuke shrugged. "No reason. Have you seen the Hokage today?"

"Uncle Naruto? No I haven't." Kakashi said rubbing his neck. "One of these days I'm going to be able take you down myself."

"When that day comes, you can have my job." Sasuke smirked crossing his arms.

"And be away from the village all the time? That sounds like a pain." Kakashi said smiling like his father.

"So you want to be more of a family man?" He asked looking at Mirai.

"I wouldn't go that far." Kakashi added. "But if I meet the right person maybe than I could see myself settling down."

Mirai frowned at Kakashi's response. "I've gotta go." She said pointing back towards the village. "My dad said he needed to talk about something with me."

Sasuke and Kakashi waved before Sasuke turned around. "You're an idiot."

"What did I do?" Kakashi asked following his uncle.


	4. Chapter 4

Naruto was sitting in his Hokage chair having a staring contest with his massive stack of papers that seemed to grow faster than he could ever work on it. He had decided to never use shadow clones to do paper work in case they signed conflicting agreements. He chuckled at the thought of what would happen if shadow clones signed multiple marriage agreements for the same person.

He was pulled out of his train of thought when the door opened and Sasuke walked in with Kakashi beside him. "Welcome back." The blond said smiling at his brother. "Did he do something?" He asked pointing at the younger Uchiha.

"Just looked like a fool in front of Mirai again." Sasuke said crossing his arms. "Reminded me of you with Sakura." He added with a smirk.

"If I had the time I'd make you eat those words." Naruto said leaning back in his chair and smiling as he thought about when he and Sakura weren't together and all the stupid things he would do to change that.

"Why did you bring me?" Kakashi asked confused. "Or are the two of you just here to mock me for something I'm clearly lost on?"

"That works for me." Naruto said shrugging his shoulders.

"Me too." Sasuke said sitting on the couch in the side of the room.

Kakashi stuck his tongue out at his two uncles before Naruto spoke up. "Actually, I have a mission for you and the kids." He said handing him a paper.

Kakashi looked it over before speaking. "Any reason Team Mirai is coming too?"

"The Kazekage requested it." Naruto said leaning forward. "It shouldn't take you guys that long, and it's just a simple escort mission to the Sand and then you come back."

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders. "Is this for me or the other guy?" He asked.

Naruto chuckled, "With you taking on the kids I had almost forgotten about that. For now why don't you stick with Kakashi and we'll see how things work out."

"Understood." Kakashi said with a nod. "I'll just see myself out then." He said walking out of the office.

"I'm not going to lie." Sasuke started, "When I heard that you had chosen Kakashi to be their sensei I was a bit shocked. Aren't you worried about showing any favoritism?"

Naruto waved it off. "Big Brother Obito was our sensei and all three of us turned out ok."

Sasuke chuckled leaning back in the chair and resting his eyes. "I guess he did. How is everyone?"

"Have you seen them yet?" Naruto asked confused.

"I did, but you're with them more than I am." Sasuke said regretfully.

Naruto nodded in understanding. "Hinata keeps herself busy with missions, and when she's not out on any her and Sakura have bonded because of the kids. They're an entirely different story, honestly it's weird to see but neither of them act like you and Hinata." Naruto laughed. "Itachi and Minato both get the other in trouble so often it's weird when one of them does something stupid alone."

"What about Sarada?" Sasuke asked.

"She graduated at the top of her class and put even your grades to shame." Naruto chuckled noticing the smirk on Sasuke's face. "She's distant from the other girls her age, I'm not sure why but if I had to guess I would say it has something to do with you."

"Me?" Sasuke asked opening his eyes and looking at the Hokage.

"You're never here." Naruto said the cheeriness in his voice gone. "It's starting to take a toll on both of them Sasuke. Are you even going to tell me where you were this time?"

Sasuke leaned forward and looked at his feet and the floor beneath them. "I don't need to worry you with the details unless something really bad happens."

"So you can be another Danzo?" Naruto asked narrowing his eyes.

"I will never be like that monster." Sasuke said balling his fists as his Sharingan activated.

"Then don't close yourself off like he did." Naruto said sitting back in his chair confident that everyone would love to have you around again."

Sasuke's eyes reverted back to their normal black. "Does the wisdom come with the jacket or something?" Sasuke asked pointing to Naruto's Hokage cloak.

Naruto laughed and held it out in front of him. "I know right, this thing is awesome!" He smiled his usual toothy smile that always reminded Sasuke of Obito.

"I guess it is." Sasuke said relaxing in the chair again. All the tension from before fading away. Sasuke could hear that Naruto had gotten back to work as his pencil scribbled away. "You wanna go spar?" Sasuke said opening one eye.

Naruto stood up without saying a word and put his Hokage cloak over his chair and walked out the door. After a second he popped his head back in looking at Sasuke confused. "Are you coming?"

XXXX

Naruto and Sasuke stood a few feet away from one another in their usual sparring location. Naruto had left a kunai hidden in the Valley of the End because they both knew it was a place where they didn't need to worry about anyone watching or getting hurt.

"Same rules as usual?" The blond asked bending his legs to stretch.

"No Amaterasu and no full form Kyuubi." Sasuke said crossing his arm over his chest.

"And no full body Susanoo." Naruto said pointing at the Uchiha. "Last time you pulled that one out and I couldn't use all of Kurama you almost sent me through old man Hashirama's head."

"Fine." Sasuke conceded. "Let's just get this started." He said taking his fighting stance as his Sharingan activated.

Naruto grinned as he pulled out a set of kunai that he kept hidden in a seal and through one of them directly at Sasuke and the rest in the surrounding area.

Sasuke's eyes glanced quickly around the area seeing all but one of the kunai on the ground in front of him. Naruto smirked thinking he had gotten one past Sasuke but the Uchiha could sense the faint thump from the kunai sinking itself into the solid rock.

Naruto faded out of existence appearing behind Sasuke winding his arm back for the punch but the Uchiha turned around quick enough to block the strike and deliver one of his own into the Hokage's chest forcing him back. "You're out of practice." Sasuke said retaking his stance.

"Just feeling you out." Naruto said cracking his neck before disappearing again.

Sasuke saw the feint glint of Naruto appearing next to him so he brought his arm up to block the punch but just before it came Naruto was gone again.

Sasuke's eyes widened when he felt the powerful strike slam into his back launching him into the side of the cliff. "What was that you said about being out of practice?" Naruto asked crossing his arms.

A purple haze launched out of the small crater in the Cliffside slamming into Naruto in the shape of the fist launching him into the other Cliffside.

"Holy shit that hurt." Naruto groaned.

Sasuke pulled himself out his eyes burning from the chakra being used in the mangekyo. "You done warming up?"

Naruto pulled himself free from the rubble slamming his fist into his palm as Kurama's chakra shroud came over his body. "Kurama has been looking forward to this." Naruto said his slitted eyes meeting Sasuke's red ones with their intricate design.

Naruto and Sasuke charged at one another as the orange chakra slammed into the purple the ground around them shook.

XXXX

"Guess Sasuke and Naruto met up." Sakura sighed.

"They started faster than they usually do." Hinata commented looking at the boys that were almost done with their work.

Minato seemed to be the only one that noticed the change in chakra but didn't say anything because he could tell it was just his dad, Sasuke and Kurama.

Sarada came out of the house again and looked at the nearly clear yard. "They're so close to being done." She said as a wicked grin crossed her face.

"Leave them be." Hinata said waving her off. "This should be more than enough punishment." A wicked grin crossed her face again. "That is after you challenge them to a fight and since they're so low on chakra you can make them look silly."

"Please don't." Kakashi said coming out to the backyard. "We have a mission that we leave for tomorrow." He said handing the scroll to Sarada. "You guys do feel that right?" He asked looking at the women in the chairs. "It feels like they're really laying into eachother."

Rin waved it off. "They haven't seen each other in forever that's just how they say they love each other."

"Was Obito Sensei that way too?" Sakura asked looking at the older doctor.

Kakashi looked over too. He was always interested when the topic of his father was mentioned but he tried to hide it.

Rin smiled. "When he was younger and he and Kakashi would see one another they'd fight all the time. I remember one time that Obito challenged him to a fight after he rigged a whole bunch of traps. Kakashi accepted because he had already dismantled all of the traps."

The women laughed and a small grin came across Kakashi's face. He enjoyed the stories of his father and it was even less common to hear stories about his namesake. "What are we all doing for dinner?" Kakashi asked the women.

"I vote Ramen." Naruto said appearing suddenly next to Sakura and leaning on an equally exhausted Sasuke.

"Good you two got it out of your system." Sakura said gently rubbing her hand on Naruto's side.

"Believe it." Naruto said sluggishly raising his hand into the air.

"How hard did you hit him?" Hinata asked watching the half conscious Hokage.

"No harder than Sakura ever did." Sasuke shrugged.

Naruto shook his head. "No, no." He waved his arm at the women. "Sakura hits hardest."

Sakura proudly smirked at Sasuke who rolled his eyes. "How did you even get us here when you're this exhausted?" Sasuke asked confused.

Naruto rested his head on Sasuke's shoulder and passed out. "I'll take him." Sakura said standing up and wrapping her husband's arm around her shoulder. "We'll be back in time for dinner." She said to the Uchiha family, before turning towards Minato and Itachi. "Minato when you're finished come home and get showered up."

"Yes mom." The blond said still working on the grass.

After Sakura and Naruto left Kakashi took the seat that Sakura had been sitting in. "How long have they been at it?"

"Not as long as you'd think." Hinata said. "They're better at this than you were."

"Really?" Kakashi asked shocked. "I guess they take after their mothers. Maybe we can switch it up and have a boy medical ninja."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rin asked glaring at her son.

"Come on mom." He said raising his hands in defense. "The Sannin had Tsunade, Team Minato had you, and dad's team had Sakura."

"He has a point." Hinata said chuckling. "There is a pattern that would be interesting to see get mixed up."

Rin crossed her arms sitting back in her chair. "I suppose." She took a closer look at how Minato was using his chakra on the blade and could see his potential, but she knew his skills wouldn't be suited to her or his mother's style of fighting.


	5. Chapter 5

The massive family came out of the now much larger Ichiraku Ramen shop all smiling and laughing. Rin watched as the three boys she raised joked and laughed with one another and the families that two of them had started.

The kids all got along really well and she could even see the hints of attraction between Minato and Sarada that she got excited for. Their mothers were only slightly aware of it and the bits they did know they had decided to stay out of it. Both of them had faced problems from their families with who they choose to marry and didn't want those problems in their own kids.

Rin had a bittersweet smile as she looked to the spot right next to her where she knew Obito would want to stand and watch everyone. She chuckled when she realized that wasn't like him at all, he would be right there with the boys joking around.

"What's wrong Aunt Rin?" Sarada asked looking up towards the retired medical ninja.

"It's nothing sweetheart." She said gently hugging the young Uchiha girl.

Kakashi noticed the look and knew what it meant. He hated talking about his father with his mother because he could see how much it bothered her and didn't want to see her that way.

"So then I'm sitting in this bar," Sasuke started.

"Oh kami." Hinata said rubbing her forehead.

"And this guy walks up to me I swear to you all he looked just like a fish it was weird." He said gesturing with his hands. "He tells me that he wants to fight me."

"Some guy just wanted to fight you?" Sakura asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Sasuke said before continuing his story. "He said he was one of the seven ninja swordsman and he wanted to fight the best swordsman from the Leaf."

"He challenged you even knowing who you are?" Minato asked cocking an eyebrow.

"It gets better." Sasuke said suppressing a laugh. "After he challenges me we go outside for a sword fight and he has two buddies out there with him. One of them has this massive sword which makes no sense since he's a little skinny guy. And the other one is just watching us get ready. Fish man pulls out his sword and the whole thing is covered in barbs."

"Kisame." Naruto said knowing who his brother was talking about.

"How'd you know?" Sasuke asked quirking an eyebrow. "I thought you never left the village?"

"Me and the other Kages talk brag about our strongest ninjas all the time." Naruto said waving him off.

"Who's on your list?" Hinata asked curious if she made it.

Naruto mimed that his mouth was locked tight.

"I bet I'll be on that list one day!" Sarada said excitedly.

"As if." Itachi said with a scoff.

"What was that?" She asked looking at him with her pale eyes.

"You'll barely make Jonin one day if you're lucky." Itachi said crossing his arms.

"Want me to make you a mute again?" She asked her Byakugan activating.

"Try it!" Itachi shouted as he balled his fists.

"That's enough." Sasuke said standing between the two.

"Oh here comes dad to save his little 'spark' again." Itachi said waving his hands in the air.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sasuke asked looking at his son worried.

"Forget it." Itachi said jumping towards and building and using his chakra to hold himself up as he ran upwards until he was out of sight.

Sarada's eyes relaxed before she looked up at the angry look on her father's face.

"I'll talk to him." Kakashi said about to follow when he felt Sasuke's hand on his shoulder. "What?"

"He needs some time." Sasuke said continuing to walk the way everyone had been going already.

XXXX

"Dad are you in here?" Shikadai Nara asked walking into his dad's office. "Not here." He said with a groan. He walked over to his dad's desk and looked at the papers on it. He nodded his head in understanding and went across the main room of the Hokage tower and into the TI offices.

He walked past the door that led to cells when he saw his dad looking into a window concerned.

"There ain't a damn thing you can do to make me talk bitch!" Hidan shouted.

In response Tenten shoved a metal rod through his head and pulled it out the other side. "How's that?" She asked gritting her teeth.

"Feels good doll face." Hidan said licking his lips. "Did you really think that would do anything? I'm a head just sitting here miles away from my body. When are you going to get it, you can't kill me!"

"Fuck you!" Tenten shouted storming out of the room. "I'm all out of ideas." She said looking at the older Nara that didn't stop looking into the interrogation room.

"Dad." Shikadai said getting his attention. "Mom wants you to come home for dinner tonight."

Tenten wiped the blood on her pants. "It's fine Shikamaru." She said taking a deep breath. "There's no way he's talking tonight anyway, at this point our only option is to wait him out."

"What a drag." Shikamaru said looking at the ceiling. "Alright. You can go home Tenten, I'm going to do the same."

"Sure thing boss." Tenten said putting her hands behind her head.

"Come on." Shikamaru said getting Shikadai to leave. "I don't have to tell you that anything you saw in here is top secret."

"I know." Shikadai groaned. "Mirai Sensei said I have a mission tomorrow anyway so I'll be out of the village."

"I know." Shikamaru said. "You be careful out there, your mother has told me horror stories about that desert."

"I'm sure I'll be fine." Shikadai said yawning. "Minato's team is going too."

"Thought you didn't like him?" Shikamaru asked looking just as bored as his son.

"I don't but I know that he and his team are capable." Shikadai replied cleaning out his ear.

XXXX

A few hours later Naruto was laying in his bed looking at the ceiling when he felt the familiar tap in the back of his head. He closed his eyes and found himself inside of Kurama's massive chamber.

"What's up furball?" Naruto asked smirking at his tenant.

"Just because you're the Hokage doesn't mean I'm going to go around and let you start disrespecting me." Kurama growled sitting up. "There's something going on with the others that worries me."

"What's up?" Naruto asked because very few thing worried Kurama.

"Kokuo said that a group of people tried to 'capture' him." Kurama sighed. "He's the only one of us not paired with a jinchuuriki and I think he wants to stay that way."

"What village are they from?" Naruto asked. "Cause I'll talk with the rest of the Kages we've all agreed that there will be no more jinchuuriki after us."

"I know that." Kurama said nodding. "He said that they didn't seem to be from any one village."

"What are you getting at fox?"

"What I'm getting at," Kurama shouted. "Is someone is hunting my brothers and sisters and I'm not ok with it!"

"Any reason someone would do that?" Naruto asked not phased my the fox's outburst.

"When you absorbed all of the biju do you remember that power that you felt?" Naruto nodded. "The whole world heard about what you were able to do there's got to be at least one person who would want that power for themselves."

"Is Kokuo ok?" Naruto asked trying to hide the fear he was feeling.

"The hunters were nothing special and he killed them easily. But he thinks they weren't the only ones, which means that you, Isobu's holder, and the other Kage are all in danger not to mention Chomei and Gyuki."

"Will the others tell their Kage about this?" Naruto asked crossing his arms.

"I don't see why they wouldn't." Kurama said.

"Damn it." Naruto said rubbing his forehead. "I'm going to have to call a Kage summit."

"Thank you." Kurama said with a slight nod.

"I could get used to that." Naruto said smirking at the massive fox.

"Don't!" Kurama barked as Naruto faded back to reality.

When he came to he noticed that Sakura was holding onto him. "How's Kurama?" She asked with a yawn.

"He's worried about the others." Naruto said pulling her closer. "He said that there's a group that tried to capture Kokuo and he's worried that there will be others."

Sakura tightened her grip even more on Naruto. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to call a Kage summit tomorrow and hopefully we can work something out." Naruto said before kissing the top of her head.

"You better be careful." She said into his chest.

"Have I ever been?" Naruto asked with a smile.

"Baka." Sakura chuckled.

XXXX

Itachi sat in a tree with his legs pulled up to his chest and his chin resting on top. He heard the tree rustling beside him but he didn't look because he already knew who it was. "I don't want to talk about it."

"That's fine." The newcomer said. "If you don't want to you don't have to."

"He just acts like he knows me but he doesn't." Itachi said looking at the sky. "He's never around and he acts like his opinion matters."

"He just doesn't know you." The other person said. "At least not like I know you, we're friends after all right?"

Itachi smiled looking at his friend. "Yeah we're friends." He clapped his friend on the shoulder. "Thanks, Zetsu."

"Anytime my young friend." The half white half black man growing out of the tree said before descending back into the tree.


	6. Chapter 6

"I hate waiting for him!" Minato yelled. "How long has it been?"

"Almost an hour." Mirai said crossing her arms. Her team had assembled as well, the next InoShikaCho all of which were just as annoyed about the leader of Team 7 being late. "You'd think I was used to this by now."

"Is it because you love him?" Hino Hyuuga asked smiling up at his sensei.

"That's not what I said!" Mirai shouted back.

"Aww, that's not nice." Kakashi said walking up to Mirai who blushed seeing him. "Sorry I'm late. This time I was getting our client."

"It's my fault everyone." Temari said smiling at the group.

"I can already tell that this is going to be troublesome." Shikadai said looking up at the clouds.

"Just like his father." Temari sighed to herself.

"Are we ready to get going?" Kakashi asked smiling at the still blushing Sarutobi.

"Yes lead the way." Mirai blurted out.

"It's obvious." Hino giggled before being pushed forward by his sensei.

"Troublesome." Shikadai said following after everyone beside Chocho who was snacking furiously on her chips.

"Let's go!" Minato cheered having run out in front of everyone in the group.

"Dude." Itachi said getting his attention. "Calm down."

"Aww let him be." Sarada said smiling at the excited blond.

"Whatever Sarada." Itachi said shrugging past his sister.

"This could suck." Kakashi said taking a deep breath.

"Every team has its kinks to work through when they first start." Temari said smirking at the two jonin sensei's.

"Really?" Kakashi asked. "From what mom told me your team was amazing when you were young."

Temari openly laughed. "Lady Rin must've forgotten about the part where my brother wanted to kill us."

Kakashi deadpanned in shock. "I always forget the Kazekage is a jinchuuriki like mom."

"All the Kage are jinchuurikis!" Mirai shouted at the confused Uchiha.

Kakashi thought about it for a moment naming them all. "Gaara, Yugito, Roshi, Utakata, Naruto. Holy shit you're right."

"I usually am." Mirai said smiling at the dumbfounded man next to her.

"Told you." Hino said giggling with Minato who were both paying attention.

XXXX

"It's so hot!" Minato said wiping his now discarded shirt over his forehead.

"We know!" Sarada chided. "We also knew the last thirty times you said it. We also knew it before you said it, do you know why? Because we're in a damn desert!"

Kakashi let out a breath looking over the massive dunes in the desert. "Any idea how much farther?" He asked Temari who looked like she had barely broken a sweat.

"Few more hours." She said smirking. "You Leaf ninjas are the funniest things to watch in the sand."

Just as she said it Itachi slid down a sand dune and Minato watched in shock. "That looked awesome!" He shouted about to jump down with him when he felt someone grab his shoulder.

"Don't do that." Shikadai said. "We all need to conserve our energy."

"You look like you've barely broken a sweat." Sarada said taking a deep breath and covering her eyes from the sun.

"I don't know, maybe I'm just predisposed to this." Shikadai said avoiding the gaze of the Uchiha.

"I got him." Kakashi said sliding down the sand dune standing up. When he got to the bottom he looked at Itachi who was dusting his butt off. "Having fun?"

"No I'm not, I hate the sand, I hate this job, and every second Sarada is being a jerk." Itachi said clenching his fists.

"I know it's tough to get used to the job but I'm sure you will." Kakashi said. "Now grab my hand so we can get to the top."

Mirai watched how Kakashi pulled the other Uchiha back to the top of the dune. "So the Uchiha?" Temari asked shocking the girl back to reality.

"What?" Mirai asked blushing, "We're just friends is all."

"Yeah sure." Temari said patting the Sarutobi on the back. "I seem to remember Shikamaru telling me that your parents were 'just friends', that was until your mom got pregnant."

"It's not like that." The red eyed girl said waving her hands in front of her.

"Whatever you say." Temari said smiling at how the new generation was still similar to the old ones.

"What's that?" Hino asked pointing towards a massive dust cloud approaching.

Sarada activated her Byakugan and looked at it. "It's filled with chakra."

"Ambush!" Kakashi shouted. "Everyone get into your positions!"

All the genin surrounded Temari and looked in their directions while Kakashi and Mirai readied themselves as the dust cloud approached. "Any idea who'd be attacking us?" Kakashi asked the group as a whole.

"Only thing I could imagine would be bandits." Temari said. "Why are the genin protecting me?" She asked readying her battle fan.

"You're the client." Sarada said watching the surroundings with her Byakugan. "This is what we're trained to do."

"Please." Temari said stepping out from around the kids and standing with the other jonin. "I remember when these two were in diapers. Stick with your teammates and keep each other alive!"

"She's bossy." Minato said.

"You have no idea." Shikadai said with a sigh.

The dust cloud came over them all at once and Sarada deactivated her eyes because all she saw was the charka in the sand.

Minato ducked under the swing of an arm he barely made out and grabbed the arm stabbing his kunai into it. He heard the scream and Itachi moved into position tackling the attacker to the ground as Sarada delivered the final blow by forcing her kunai into his throat. "That's one." The Byakugan Uchiha said standing back up.

She knew she should be feeling something but for now she was going to push that aside. She felt the boot hit her face and knock her to the ground but she didn't feel anything besides the weight on the side of her head.

"Get off her!" Minato shouted tackling the man to the ground. The two stumbled down the dune and landed where the sand flattened out. Minato looked to his enemy who had taken the kunai before jamming it into the Uzumaki's leg.

Minato screamed as he grabbed onto the leg already trying to apply pressure to it but the pain wasn't lessening. "Now I'll just kill one of these ninja brats and move onto the big one." The man said sounding cocky and walking over to stand in front of Minato. "It will all be over soon kid." He said before grabbing the blade with both hands and preparing to slam it down on him but felt a mound of sand slam into him knocking him away.

Minato looked to where the sand had come from and saw someone approaching him through the dust cloud. "We need to get to safety." The voice said as Minato began to lose consciousness.

XXXX

"This dust is getting too heavy!" Kakashi shouted to the others. "We need to push on towards the Sand and try to get away from these guys!"

Temari swung her fan in the direction she knew the Sand village would be. "Everyone that way!" She shouted pointing at the closing gap in the sand before throwing more wind at it.

"Move it!" Mirai shouted as the genin ran past her. "Is that everyone?" She asked looking towards Kakashi.

"I think so." He said breathing heavily and holding a cut arm. "Lead the way Temari!"


	7. Chapter 7

Minato slowly opened his eyes before blocking them from the blinding sun. He tried to sit up but found that his leg was still in pain. He looked at his leg and saw a bright yellow strip of cloth acting as the tourniquet on it. "Oh kami this sucks." He said resting his head back in the sand and his arm over his eyes.

"I know it's troublesome but it's the best I could do." Shikadai said sitting beside the blond. "Your dumb self get separated from everyone else."

Minato chuckled. "Actually I remember playing the hero and saving the girl."

"And I remember saving the idiot who tried to save his comrade." Shikadai said closing his eyes.

"That was you?" Minato asked looking up at the Nara. "You threw all that sand, how?"

"Just did." The Nara said holding his hand up as sand began to orbit around it. "I've always been able to do it. The only people who know I suppose would be my parents and Uncle Gaara, and now you."

Minato stared in awe at how easily he was moving the sand, and looking closer he could see that black rings had surrounded the Nara's eyes. "That's amazing."

"I guess." Shikadai said letting the sand fall back to the ground as the black rings around his eyes faded away.

"So where's everyone else?" Minato asked looking around.

"Don't know, they left us." Shikadai said laying on the ground and watching the clouds.

"What do you mean they left us?" Minato asked shocked. "They can't just leave us, Kakashi would never do that he's like a brother to me!"

"Yeah well, my mom is like a mother to me and she left me so I guess we're both learning new things about our families." Shikadai said letting a bit of spite seep through.

"Oh." Minato said struggling to sit up.

"Don't bother." Shikadai said closing his eyes. "Our best chance to be rescued is to stay right here. Between my mom and Sarada they have the best chance of finding us if we stay right here."

"I can't just sit here." Minato said sitting up. "We can figure out how to get to the Sand on our own."

"That kunai severed one of your quadriceps." Shikadai said casually. "I'm actually shocked you can move it at all."

"What does that mean?" Minato asked looking at his bloody leg.

"You're the doctor's kid." Shikadai said yawning. "You tell me."

Minato knew what that might mean but he didn't want to say it. Maybe they could get rescued soon enough and they could get the medical attention that he needed. "Why haven't you gone after them?"

"That would mean I'd have to leave you." Shikadai said shifting his body in the sand trying to find a way to make it more comfortable.

"And why haven't you done that?" Minato asked confused.

"Would you leave me?" Shikadai asked turning his head and looking at the blond. "I don't think you would. From what my dad tells me your dad raised you better than that and you'd never leave a man behind."

"Is that really why?" Minato asked.

Shikadai sat up with a groan. "I didn't realize I needed a reason to do the right thing. Just because everyone else is able to look away from bad stuff doesn't mean I'm going to. That's why I became a ninja, not because my parents wanted me to or out of some sense of duty to my village. I did it so that I could help anyone I saw, even if my teammates and friends don't see it that way."

"You sound like my dad." Minato said laying back down. "He always tells me about how it feels to help someone that needs it and that he wants me to learn about that."

"So is that why you became a ninja, or was it because your dad and grandfather were Hokage and if you didn't you'd look bad?"

"Honestly never thought about it." Minato said. "My dad was one, my mom was one so I just figured that I should be one. Never thought a whole lot about it besides it being the family business I suppose."

Shikadai started laughing at the blond. "What?" Minato asked confused.

"You became a ninja, just because?" He said looking at him with wide eyed. "You took arguably the most dangerous job on the continent just because?"

"Never really thought a whole lot about it." Minato said laughing.

"Wow." Shikadai said looking at the sky again. "So be honest with me than, if you weren't a ninja what would you really want to do?"

"I've never thought about that." Minato said in shock. "I just always assumed that I'd do this until I got married and then do what my mom did and retire."

"Son of the Hokage with no ambition." Shikadai chuckled. "You'd fit right in with my clan."

"Maybe." Minato laughed. "I don't really have a clan." He said his voice getting quieter. "I mean I wear this orange swirl on my arm because that's what the Uzumaki did, but besides me, mom and dad there aren't any others."

"You are in a clan." Shikadai said with a chuckle. "That whole group your family is a part of is a clan if I ever saw one."

"How do you figure?"

"Well you call Kakashi your brother even though there is absolutely no blood shared between you." Shikadai said noticing that the sun was starting to go down. "Your dad considers the woman that raised him to be a sister and the man that came along later a brother, if it's not a clan it is a messed up family."

"That might be a better description." Minato said quietly getting Shikadai's attention. "Dad is so busy being the Hokage that he's become a distant person. Mom is at the hospital all the time. Uncle Sasuke is rarely in the village because he's out looking for kami knows what out there, Aunt Hinata is still a ninja and a very busy one at that leaving Itachi, Sarada and I with Aunt Rin all the time."

He took a breath. "That was fine when we were all super young, but eventually Kakashi became a ninja and was out of the house more and we started to feel like we weren't really part of the family that our parents were."

"Guess that must be rough." Shikadai said shivering as he felt the temperature already beginning to drop. "It's going to get cold, I know it's weird but we should…"

He was cut off by Minato. "Doesn't bother me if we snuggle." The blond said with a chuckle. "Unless you make it weird."

XXXX

Temari was standing in front of the gate with the other two jonin and Gaara. "What do you mean you won't let me go out there and find me son Gaara?" She shouted louder than the Kazekage would've liked.

"It's getting dark now and you said you weren't even sure where the attack happened." Gaara said trying to calm her down. "We don't know if they've moved either so you going out alone with other Leaf ninja is a bad idea. Besides Shikadai can handle himself out there."

"That doesn't matter to me." Temari said. "He's my son and there's no way that he has properly trained for being stranded in the desert. Middle of the forest? Sure. A jungle? You bet. But we both know that being stranded in the desert is a death sentence if you don't know what you're doing."

"Which is exactly why once the sun comes back up I'm sending a group of search and rescue ninjas out to the desert." Gaara said. "I know it's tough Temari but you know this is how it works here."

"Fine." The woman said crossing her arms. "But I'm going out there with them."

"That would be fine." He looked to the two jonin that were both looking at the ground in shame. "I take it you've already informed Lord Hokage."

"We sent a messenger hound back already." Kakashi said with his arms crossed. "We spoke in detail how it was our fault and not Temari or anyone connected to your village."

"We're sorry for our screw up causing this big a problem Lord Kazekage." Mirai said with a short bow. "Please forgive us."

"All that matters to me is that my nephew and my friend's son are found." Gaara said. "Shukaku has also tried speaking with Kurama but has been struggling to make the connection."

"Damn Fox is blocking me out!" Shukaku shouted in Gaara's head.

"Maybe that's because he's just as tired of your ranting as I am." Gaara whispered back.

Kakashi ignored the outburst because he had grown used to seeing his mother and Naruto occasionally respond to nothing and then maintain the conversation without realizing that they were talking.

Mirai on the other hand looked at the Kazekage wide eyed. "Are you ok?"

"Yes, I'm fine, thank you." He said quickly. "I recommend that we all get some rest, we have an early start in the morning."


	8. Chapter 8

Minato woke up realizing that the sun was back up and starting to burn his skin. He opened his mouth and found it dry and felt the back of his throat sticking to itself. "Water." He pleaded with the sky.

"There isn't any." Shikadai grumbled sitting up and putting space between him and the blond. He looked and saw where the sun was positioned so he sat with his back towards the sun and Minato in front of him and hoisted his jacket over his head and out a bit shading the blond and keeping his own skin out of the sun. "This is the best I can do."

Minato tried moving around but the throbbing in his leg didn't go away. He was having trouble feeling his toes but that was the point of a tourniquet. "Any way you could control the sand into a cloud for us to ride on?"

"I'm not as good as my uncle." Shikadai admitted. "I don't have the natural talent for moving the sand and I wouldn't be able to make it thick enough to hold even one of us up."

"Then how did you hit that guy?" Minato asked licking the sweat off his lips.

"I just did." Shikadai responded. "I didn't try to do much it just happened."

"Maybe you should just not try and create a cloud than." Minato chuckled. "What about a tower of sand?"

"That would lead whoever attacked us back here." Shikadai groaned. He had already thought of doing that himself, knowing the way the Sand worked they would've sent out a search party now that the sun was up. "We just have to wait." He said wiping the sweat from his brow.

"I'm not very good at doing that." Minato groaned.

"Since it's just the two of us could you tell me something?" Shikadai asked.

"Why not?" Minato said calmly.

"How did you get into the Hyuuga compound and super glue everyone's faces and hands?" Shikadai asked looking at the relaxing blond.

Minato laughed to himself. "Me and Itachi only had the idea, we had somebody on the inside."

Shikadai thought about it for a moment going through everyone in the Hyuuga compound leaving only one person who would be allowed at any time. "Hino." He said under his breath.

"The guy took to it like fish to water." Minato said before groaning.

"What's wrong?" Shikadai asked looking closely at the wound.

"I thought about water." The blond said sadly.

"I have no idea how Sarada deals with you." Shikadai said wiping the sweat off his forehead again.

"You don't get to not deal with family." Minato said. "We don't all get along all the time, doesn't mean we aren't family."

"Hearing wisdom come from you is weird, you know that right?" Shikadai said looking at the Uzumaki.

"Doesn't make it any less true." Minato said smiling and thinking about his family. "Sometimes me and my dad don't get along or agree on something but that doesn't mean that at the end of the day we aren't just back to the way it's always been."

Shikadai chuckled. "Who would've thought that the Hokage's son has a good relationship with his dad."

"Do you and your dad not get along?" Minato asked opening his eyes and looking at the forlorn Nara.

"Neither of us really make a huge effort." Shikadai said looking at the sand beneath him. "I guess we're both at fault for it."

Minato shifted in the sand. "When we get back you can talk to him."

"What makes you so sure we're going to make it back?" He asked feeling the beginnings of hopelessness.

"Between your mom, Uncle Kakashi, Mirai Sensei and I'm sure a good amount of the Sand Ninjas, one of them is bound to find us." Minato said smiling at the sky. "Once we get to the Sand I'm taking a bath and drinking a pitcher of water."

Shikadai enjoyed the thought so much that he didn't even bother to mention how bad it is to overhydrate after being dehydrated. "I guess you're right."

XXXX

Kakashi was kneeling on a sand dune using his Sharingan to scan the distance ahead. "It's hard to see with all these dunes!" He shouted to the rest of the group. "Are you having any luck Sarada?"

The Byakugan Uchiha shook her head. "They must still be out of my range. Damn it!" She shouted holding her head tightly. "Why can't I see any farther?" She screamed holding her hair and pulling.

"Whoa!" Kakashi shouted kneeling in front of the girl. "We're going to find them, you don't need to be so hard on yourself." He said smiling at the girl. "It's all going to be ok."

"How do you know?" She asked not deactivating her Byakugan.

"Because it's Minato, when have you ever known him to just give up and not be seen." He said patting her on the shoulder. "Now come on let's catch up with Kankuro, Temari, and your brother." He said standing up and looking towards where they were looking.

"Shikadai!" Temari shouted. "Shikadai!" She shouted again.

"Minato!" Itachi yelled looking at the desert in front of him. "Do we have any idea of where we lost them?" He asked looking at the others.

"I could guess." Temari said. "I just hope those two had enough sense not to wander off."

"That's something Minato would do." Itachi said scratching the back of his head.

"Shikadai!" Kankuro yelled. "Come on man, this isn't funny!"

"Why would he think this was a joke?" Temari asked scowling at her hooded brother.

"He's with Naruto's kid." Kankuro said blankly. "I'm imagining the apple not falling far from the tree."

"It doesn't." Kakashi said walking up to the others. "Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing we'll just have to see."

Temari grimaced looking out to the desert. "Shikadai!" She shouted again.

XXXX

After a few more hours of searching Sarada gasped. "What is it?" Temari asked looking at the genin. "Do you see them?"

"I do. They're a few hundred yards that way, Shikadai looks fine but Minato's hurt." She said.

That was all that was needed as Temari and Kakashi took off running in the direction Sarada had sent them.

"I found them!" Kakashi yelled sliding down the dune and looking at the exhausted Shikadai that looked up at him with exhausted eyes. He looked at Minato and saw the kunai wound in his leg. He looked at it quickly using all of the knowledge his mother had passed on to him. "We have to get him back to the village now!" He said picking the blond up and keeping the leg elevated. "I'm going on ahead of you guys." He said taking off back to the Sand.

Temari held her son closely before pushing him back far enough so that he could drink from her canteen. "Pace yourself." She said as he chugged the water down.

"Minato." He coughed out looking towards where the Uchiha had carried the Uzumaki away.

"Kakashi has him, he's going to be fine. Are you hurt?" She asked as she started to check him for any wounds.

"No, I'm fine." He said quietly. "Mom," Shikadai began.

"What is it?" She asked looking at his tired eyes.

"I'm sorry for being so troublesome for you and dad." He said looking at the ground with shame in his eyes. "From here on out I'm going to work to make you proud."

"You already have." Temari said hugging him so his head rested on her shoulder. She stood to her feet holding him in her arms. "Now rest, I'll get you to the Sand where you and Minato can rest up before we go home."

"That sounds nice." Shikadai said falling asleep in her arms.

XXXX

Kakashi was pacing outside the doctor's office. None of the doctors here were as good as his mom or Sakura so he was going to have to make due with what he could get.

"Lord Uchiha?" The doctor said coming out of the door.

"How is Minato?" Kakashi asked, the worry evident in his voice.

The doctor looked at the ground for a moment not wanting to say what he knew he had to. "There was extensive nerve and muscle damage, he's going to live but unfortunately his career as a ninja is over."

XXXX

Naruto was sitting at home on the couch. He had received the message from Kakashi already but hadn't been able to tell Sakura. How was someone supposed to tell their wife that their child would have permanent nerve damage and never have full use of his leg again? Especially with Sakura being a medical specialist herself. Naruto knew she was going to blame herself and he didn't know how to handle her doing that because none of it was her fault.

He sent young people away every day that may never make it home. He did the same thing when he was a kid and it was even more dangerous. Now he understood why the old man was always so hesitant to send genin on high ranking missions.

"Hey Naruto are you hungry?" Sakura asked poking her head around the corner and into the living room.

"No not right now." He said trying to not look so depressed.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked standing in front of the blond. "You look like you've been through some heavy paperwork and today is your day off."

Naruto took a deep breath. Normally the Hokage would tell someone's family about a terrible injury or death and be able to leave after that. But how is he supposed to do that when it's his own family?

"During the mission Team Kakashi took to get guard Temari on the way to the Sand Village the teams were attacked." He said looking down. Sakura sat down bracing herself for the worst.

"Minato, in an effort to protect his comrades was injured, the doctors in Sand say he will be able to walk on the leg but he can't be a ninja." Naruto said avoiding the hardened stare from Sakura.

"That's fine." Sakura said shrugging her shoulders.

"What do you mean that's fine?" Naruto asked showing a rare bout of anger towards his wife. "Our son was permanently injured and you say 'that's fine'? I'm missing something here because this is not fine!"

"Don't yell at me." Sakura said calmly. "Once he gets back I can start working with him to heal the muscles in the leg and he'll be good as new in a few weeks."

"There was nerve damage too because he and Shikadai were stranded in the desert alone." Naruto said calming down again. "The tourniquet was applied too long and neither of them had anything to suture the wound."

"I can still heal him." Sakura said crossing her arms.

"Sakura you…"

He was cut off. "You don't tell me I can't help my own son!" Sakura screamed standing to her feet. "That's my baby and there's no way that this is it for him!"

Naruto took a deep breath because his first instinct was to yell back and that would only result in them having a shouting match and hating each other. "Sakura, I'm sorry." Naruto said standing up in front of the seething woman. "But this time there's nothing that either of us can do."

"You don't know that Naruto!" Sakura screamed. "I could use my healing jutsu and you could use Kurama's chakra to heal him!"

"Sakura." Naruto said pulling her into a hug. "I'm sorry." He said holding her as he felt her break down in his arms.

"Our baby." She cried out holding onto Naruto. "It's not fair." She continued to cry while Naruto rubbed her back up and down trying to soothe her.


	9. Chapter 9

Kakashi slowly carried the blond ninja on his back. Beside him were the two other members of his team. The four of them left The Sand ahead of Team Mirai because they were a member down and he needed to get home anyway. "Soon we'll be home bud." Kakashi said looking over his shoulder at the depressed face of Minato.

He hadn't said a whole lot since they left the hospital aside from that he was thirsty or hungry. Which his teammates were more than willing to help with.

The Uchiha twins had been quiet as well leaving Kakashi with ample amount of time to think. He had come to the decision the moment he had learned about Minato's injuries and he just needed to tell the Hokage about it.

"There it is." Kakashi said trying to sound upbeat and happy at seeing the village again. "Once everyone is settled in I'll treat everyone to ramen just the four of us." He said smiling at his fellow Uchiha.

"Sounds fun." Itachi said with his hands in his pockets.

"Maybe." Sarada said showing no emotion.

"What about you Minato?" Kakashi asked looking over his shoulder.

"I dunno." He said resting his chin on the Jonin's shoulder. "I could really go for some cookies though."

"I'm sure mom would be willing to make you a batch." Kakashi finished smiling at the blond.

Minato knew that smile though. His father had the same one when they were trying to keep something a secret. He hated that smile, because two of the most open people he knew were closing themselves off from everyone.

XXXX

Kakashi pushed the door open still carrying Minato on his back. He had already dismissed Itachi and Sarada who went home now he had to face Aunt Sakura, something he was terrifying of doing, but not as much as who he had to talk with after.

"Sakura." Kakashi called out. "We're back."

The pinkette came around the corner quietly and her eyes softened when she saw Minato still on Kakashi's back.

"I'm gonna let you down now, ok?" The Jonin asked the blond.

"I should be fine." Minato said with a nod.

Kakashi slowly bent down and once he felt the weight come off his back he turned around still crouching making sure that Minato was keeping his balance. "You good?" He asked.

"I'll be fine." Minato said limping towards his mom.

"Welcome home." Sakura said in an attempt to sound normal.

"You don't have to do that." Minato said walking to his room. "I'm going to sleep."

Kakashi refused to look at Sakura. "I'm sorry." He said as he turned around and left the house.

Sakura wished she could be mad at Kakashi, she had read the report and he was in the wrong but she could also understand the mistake. She was furious with the situation but seeing the way that her nephew was beating himself up over it all was more than enough punishment.

XXXX

Naruto was sitting at his desk working through his paperwork at a slower pace than usual but he was just proud that he was at least able to get something done right now.

He heard a knock at his door and looked up as it slowly opened. In walked a solemn looking Kakashi that was trying to show no emotion on his face.

"How's Minato?" Naruto asked.

"I left him at home, he's resting now." Kakashi said putting his arms behind his back and standing at attention.

"Thank you for bringing him home." Naruto said also trying to hide the emotions he was feeling.

"Lord Hokage." Kakashi said building up the courage to say what he had wanted to say.

"Yes Kakashi?" Naruto asked somewhat confused by all the professionalism.

"I request to be reassigned from Team 7." He said pushing the words out. "I've failed as a sensei and do not deserve the title."

"Denied." Naruto said leaning back in his chair and narrowing his eyes at his ninja.

"My Lord?" Kakashi asked.

"Denied." Naruto repeated. "Even if Minato can't be on your team you still have Itachi and Sarada, it wouldn't be fair to them to lose a sensei because of this."

"But I've failed a member of my team, they deserve someone better than me."

"Enough!" Naruto screamed slamming his fist on his desk leaving an imprint in the wood. "I said you will continue to be the sensei for Team 7 and that is final. If they deserve someone better than be better!" Naruto said standing up and pointing at Kakashi. "Now go home, I'll be expecting your report in two days."

"Understood." Kakashi said bowing at Naruto.

"Kakashi." Naruto said after taking a breath. "This doesn't change anything, you're still family to all of us, even Sakura."

"Ok." Kakashi said before going out the door. He had been ordered to continue training Team 7 but beyond that he had decided that he wanted nothing to do with his extended family until he earned that right.

XXXX

Sakura was sitting alone at her dinner table, Naruto was still at the Hokage tower and Minato hadn't made a noise in hours and she was starting to get restless. Even drinking her favorite tea wasn't doing anything to help her.

"Anyone home?" Rin asked poking her head through the door.

"In here." Sakura said somewhat grateful for the distraction.

Rin came into the kitchen carrying a plate that had plastic wrap over it. "Kakashi said that Minato wanted some cookies." She said looking down at the plate.

"You can put them on the counter." Sakura said pointing behind herself.

"How are you doing?" Rin asked sitting at the table with the pinkette.

"I wish I could tell you." Sakura said. "I don't blame Kakashi if that's what you're thinking."

"You may not blame him, but he blames himself." Rin said, the pain in her eyes reflecting Sakura's own.

"I wish Minato would say something." Sakura said taking a sip of tea. "He's been in his room since Kakashi brought him back."

"Kakashi went to his room too, after he spoke with Naruto." Rin replied quietly. "You can't blame yourself either."

"And why not?" Sakura asked crossing her arms. "You and I both know exactly how to treat that kind of wound in our sleep. If we had gotten to it earlier he would've been fine with just a bit of bed rest."

"But we weren't there Sakura." Rin said resting her hand on the upset pinkette's. "We can't be there for them all the time, I thought the same thing when Kakashi Naruto burst through the door holding Kakashi. We can't blame ourselves for what happens out there, we can't blame anyone."

Sakura looked up at Rin. "Yes I can." She said her eyes hardening. "Please stay here incase Minato wakes up, Naruto should be home soon."

"Sakura." Rin said trying to stop the pinkette.

"I'll be back." She said not turning around.

XXXX

Sakura was knocking on a door waiting for it to open after a few minutes it opened and Sasuke was standing in the doorway wearing a high collared Uchiha shirt and a matching pair of pants. "Sakura." He said in shock as he let the doctor in. "How's Minato? The kids told me what happened?"

"He should be fine for now, but right now I need your help and Naruto can't know." Sakura said looking around to make sure that no one was listening.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked quirking an eyebrow. "I don't like keeping secrets from him, especially because he's the Hokage now."

"I'm going after the people that hurt my son and I want your help." Sakura said crossing her arms.

"You can't be serious, you haven't been a ninja in over twelve years." Sasuke said. "If you want them eliminated I'm sure we could start talks with the Sand about a joint force but…"

Sakura cut him off. "I don't just want them dead Sasuke, I want to be the one that does it." She said her fist tightening.

Sasuke looked at Sakura and recognized the look in her eyes. It was the same one he had when he was little whenever he thought of his brother Itachi, and the same one Obito had when he thought about Orochimaru. "Sakura, that won't solve anything."

"I know that." Sakura scoffed. "But those people hurt my baby and that cannot stand."

"Sarada told me that Shikadai killed the man that hurt Minato so there's no reason for you to go down there." Sasuke said still trying to calm her.

"Either you come with me, or I go on my own." Sakura said standing as in his face as she could get, being shorter than him.

"Was that a threat Sakura?" Sasuke asked narrowing his eyes at the woman.

"It's not a threat. It's just how it works, you can either come with me, or let me go on my own."

"I can't let you do that." Sasuke said.

"How are you going to stop me?" Sakura asked. "We both know you can't catch me in one of your genjutsus and you wouldn't dare use Tsukuyomi on me."

"I don't have to." Sasuke said before he snapped his fingers.

In a flash Hinata was behind Sakura and hit three chakra points that disabled her movements and blocked her chakra. "This is a bad idea Sakura." Hinata said.

"I'm not a ninja of the village anymore damnit." Sakura said fighting to stand again. "I'm a free citizen and if I want to leave I can."

"I'm sorry." Sasuke said as he cast the genjutsu over Sakura. Without her chakra she was unable to dispel it and fell asleep on the floor.

"What do we do with her?" Hinata asked looking at her friend on the ground.

"I'm going to take her to Naruto." Sasuke said picking her up in his arms. "He'll want to know about this."


	10. Chapter 10

Sakura started to open her eyes and realized she was in a dark room. She tried to focus but was finding it hard to do so. "Why?" Came Naruto's voice from the dark.

"What?" Sakura asked rubbing the back of her neck. "Naruto what's going on?"

Naruto clicked on the light next to him revealing they were in his office. "Why were you going to leave?"

Sakura stood up. "Because the bastards that hurt our son are still out there!"

"Sakura the man who hurt him is dead." Naruto said calmly. "We couldn't be there for Minato when he was attacked, and now that he's home and we can be there for him you want to run off and be a ninja again."

"Because I don't know how to help him." Sakura said. "All I know how to do is fix people's bodies, and if that isn't the solution I'm a ninja, that's how it's always been for me." She said standing in front of Naruto's desk and pointing at herself. "So if I can't heal him then I go after the people who did this."

Naruto took a deep breath. "Sakura, that isn't going to solve anything. What Minato needs now is for the two of us to be there for him." He stood up from his desk resting his Hokage jacket on the back of his chair. "Why don't the two of us go home and we can spend some time together as a family." He said pulling her into a hug.

"I'm scared." Sakura admitted holding onto him.

"So am I." Naruto confessed. "This is nothing like going to war." He rubbed her back with his hand. "Let's go home now."

"Ok." Sakura nodded as the two of them left the office.

XXXX

Naruto and Sakura opened the door to their home and looked inside to see a smiling Minato with a mouth full of cookies talking to Rin.

"And then I went home." Minato said through his full mouth.

"And no one ever found out it, was you?" Rin asked wiping the tear from her eye as she laughed.

"What was him?" Naruto asked walking into the dining room.

"Nothing." The two said at the same time not looking at Naruto.

"I missed the days when I was the one keeping secrets from you." Naruto said looking at Rin.

"I did the mom thing, now I get to be the fun aunt." Rin said smiling.

"Yeah, yeah." Naruto said sitting down with them as Sakura took the seat next to him. "So how're you feeling?"

Minato shrugged his shoulders. "The skin is a bit tender and it's sore but other than that I'm fine."

"With physical therapy, he should be able to walk without any help in a few months." Rin said leaning back in her chair.

Minato bit another cookie. "But the doctor in Sand said that running is a bad idea." His face didn't show any sadness confusing both Naruto and Sakura.

"How else are you feeling?" Sakura asked rubbing Minato's back.

"Fine." The boy said with a shrug. "I'm a bit bummed I won't be on Team 7 anymore, but I'll figure out what I'm going to do."

Sakura looked at her blond son in shock. He wasn't letting any of it get him down and was even looking to the future. "Well I'm glad to hear that." Sakura said confused but trying to hide it.

Minato looked around the table before slowly standing up. "Whoa there." Naruto said standing up in front of the blond. "If you need something let me help you."

Minato chuckled before gesturing for Naruto to bend over and listen.

Naruto did with a curious look on his face. Minato whispered into Naruto's ear and with a laugh Naruto said. "You're on your own with that one."

"Thanks." Minato chuckled grabbing the crutches next to his chair and walked past them as Naruto sat back down.

"What was that about?" Sakura asked confused as to why she couldn't hear what Minato had to say.

"He had to poo." Naruto said laughing to himself.

Sakura held her face and shook her head while Rin laughed out loud.

After calming down Rin looked at the two parents. "He's a tough kid, he'll get through this. Don't worry about him too much." She said standing up and giving a quick hug to Naruto. "He'll bounce back soon enough. Now if you'll excuse me I have my own baby to go and worry about." Rin said pointing behind herself as she left the house.

Naruto gently grabbed Sakura's hand. "If he can shake this off then so can we."

Sakura smiled at her husband. "Thank you for talking some sense into me."

"With how many times you've had to talk sense into me it was bound to happen the other way eventually." He said smiling back.

Minato came out of the bathroom and hobbled back to his parents. "Those cookies were great but I could use some dinner."

Naruto quickly stood up and put his hand on his son's shoulder. "To Ichiraku Ramen!" He said pointing in the general direction of the restaurant.

Minato blushed at his father's overenthusiastic behavior, but looked to his mom because he had to admit ramen sounded good.

"Fine." Sakura said raising her hands in surrender. "I suppose it couldn't hurt to get some ramen."

"Yay!" Naruto cheered pumping his fists into the air. "Ramen!" He before disappearing in an orange light.

"When is he going to realize, he forgot us?" Minato asked.

"Give him a second." Sakura said crossing her arms.

Another orange light appeared showing Naruto. "My bad." He said rubbing the back of his head.

"You already ordered, didn't you?" Minato asked looking up to his father.

"Shh." Naruto said putting a finger to his lips and glancing over to see Sakura tapping her foot on the floor.

"Are we going or not?" She asked the blond.

Naruto smiled coaxing one from his wife and put a hand on her's and Minato's shoulder before the three disappeared in an orange light.

XXXX

Sarada was sitting in her room pouring over medical scrolls. She never saw the huge need to learn any medical ninjutsu but after the attack that crippled her teammate she knew that wasn't an option.

"Need to do better." She said to herself as she started to write down what she had read to make her remember it better when her pencil snapped. "Stupid, stupid!" She shouted hitting her own head.

"Do better." She said pulling out a kunai to sharpen the pencil. Her eyes focused in their Byakugan state and she could see that her mother and father were in the study talking and Itachi was in his room already asleep.

She started to work more on the work but was finding it harder and harder to focus so she checked one more time where everyone was before she snuck out of her window and made her way to the nearby park.

XXXX

"Are you here?" She asked looking around the dark park when she saw a mass of chakra bulging out of the nearby tree.

"What do you want?" The annoyed man with a Venus flytrap surrounding him asked.

"I made a mistake I'm sorry, I know you've been training me to be better and I failed." Sarada said starting to tear up.

"I thought you wanted to be the Hokage some day?" The man asked looking down on the girl. "Are you stupid or something?" He shouted at the girl.

"No." Sarada said quickly and looking at her feet.

"Look at me you white eyed freak!" The man screamed at her. "You are going to do better or else I'll move on and find someone better."

"I'm sorry Zetsu Sensei." Sarada said trying to hold back the tears in her eyes. "I didn't know any medical ninjutsu and the scrolls aren't an easy way to learn I was hoping that you could teach me."

Zetsu scoffed at the girl. "Surrounded by the most powerful medical ninjas in the world and you can't perform a simple healing jutsu. I'm sure your father could've done this when he was your age."

"I'm sorry, but can you teach me?" Sarada asked.

"I will teach you." Zetsu said nodding. "But as your punishment you cannot be nice to that blond friend of yours."

"Minato?" Sarada asked scared. "But he's family."

"And why should that matter?" Zetsu asked. "You want to learn from me, and I gave you a simple task." His voice grew darker and angrier. "You will do as your told or you will be disposed of along with your precious family."

"Yes Sensei." Sarada said lowering her head. A scroll landed in front of her.

"Start with these, you can't find them in the Leaf's library, they're stolen scrolls from the Sand." Zetsu said not moving.

"Thank you." Sarada said bowing to the plant man before picking up the scroll and walking away.


	11. Chapter 11

Kakashi rolled out of bed and looked out his window at the sun rising over the village. "Ugh." He grumbled rubbing his eye. He went to his bathroom to get ready for his day.

After that he went downstairs and saw the rare sight of an empty house. But with how everything had been happening he hadn't expected the kids to be here this morning.

He made his way to the Hokage's tower on his own, climbing the spiral staircase when he saw Shikadai, Hino, and Chocho sitting outside of Naruto's office. "Mirai inside?" He asked pointing at the door.

Hino nodded his head quickly. "You gonna ask her out?" The boy asked putting his hands behind his back and swaying side to side.

"What? No." Kakashi corrected. "I needed to speak with Naruto Sensei."

"How's Minato?" Shikadai asked casually.

"He's taking the news better than we had been expecting." Kakashi said rubbing the back of his neck. "I never got the chance to thank you for helping him."

"No need." Shikadai said yawning. "He kept me going just as much as I kept him going."

Mirai came out of the office and smiled at Kakashi. "Hey." She said with a blush.

Hino was bouncing on his feet watching the interaction.

"Hey." Kakashi said calmly. "Is Naruto Sensei busy?" He asked pointing at the door.

"Oh." Mirai said as she felt her mood shift. "No he's just going over some paperwork."

"Thanks." Kakashi said patting her on the back and knocking on the door.

Hino was staring in horror at what had just happened. "Boys are idiots." Chocho said eating a chip.

"Yes they are." Mirai said putting her hands on her hips. "I guess that's it for today." She said rubbing her forehead. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

XXXX

Kakashi walked into Naruto's office. "Hey Kakashi." The blond said smiling at his former student.

"Naruto Sensei." Kakashi said his voice filled with protocol. "Since my team is on a temporary leave I was hoping that you could assign me to a mission to clear my head."

Naruto looked at the Uchiha carefully. "Are you sure you're up for one of these?" He asked leaning on his desk. "You remember what happened last time don't you?"

"You don't need to remind me what happened." Kakashi said. "Bai was my friend, I won't forget what he did for me."

"Good." Naruto said nodding his head. "Here's one that you can take." Naruto said handing him an envelope. "Your partner is assigned to you as well."

Kakashi nodded his head pulling out the papers and deadpanning as he looked back to Naruto. "Please tell me this is a joke."

Naruto smirked at his student. "Have fun. I'm sure she'll hate this just as much as you will."

"You're a cruel man sensei." Kakashi said putting the mission back in its sleeve.

"You don't need to be so formal Kakashi." Naruto said his face relaxing as he leaned back. "I don't blame you for what happened and you shouldn't blame yourself either."

"Those who break the rules are scum." Kakashi said quietly. "And those who abandon their friends are even worse than scum." He said looking at Naruto with his Sharingan blazing. "I did both so what does that make me."

"Don't think your father wouldn't be proud of you." Naruto said. "He made plenty of mistakes himself and so did I."

"Lot of good his pride does me when he's in a grave." Kakashi said walking out the door.

Naruto looked at his hands sadly. He always knew that Kakashi carried resentment for his late father but would rarely show it. Naruto could even sympathize with him. His dad was the Hokage and died protecting the village too.

XXXX

Itachi knocked on the door in front of him and tried to smile when he saw his Aunt Sakura answer the door. "Hey Aunt Sakura." The boy said rubbing the back of his head. "I came over to see how Minato was doing."

Sakura smiled at the young boy in front of her before letting him in. "He's in his room. Try not to get into too much trouble, the Hyuuga are still pissed about their faces being glued."

"Yes ma'am." Itachi said knocking on his friend's door.

"Come in." Came the cheery voice of the blond.

Itachi opened the door and his jaw dropped with what he saw. All over the room papers were taped on the wall and strings were connecting them. "How did you do this?" He asked wondering about the physical needs to reach that high.

"Senbon." Minato said holding one of the small needles. "I've been working on trying to find what I'm going to do now."

"I see you've been productive in that." Itachi said shutting the door behind himself. "Have you narrowed it down at all?"

"Well at first I was going to be a ramen chef but then I remembered I can't cook to save my life, thank kami for Aunt Rin." Minato said sliding on his rolling chair across the room. "Then I was wondering about going into civilian politics but then I'd still be in my father's shadow, or people would resent any progress I made."

"That left you with?" Itachi asked shrugging his shoulders.

"I'm going to become a specialized surgeon." He said pulling out a massive book from his desk.

"So like your mom and Aunt Rin?" Itachi asked gawking at the massive book.

"Not at all." Minato said excitedly. "They're doctors and field medics. I'm going to specialize in surgery." He held his hand out as a blue chakra started to form around his hand for a moment before fizzling out. "I can't hold the scalpel long but my teacher said it's not easy."

"Your teacher?" Itachi asked. "Aunt Sakura and Aunt Rin aren't teaching you?"

"No I don't want to bother them with this." Minato said waving his hand. "I did some research about who in the village's history had was the best surgeon."

"And who did you find?" Itachi asked scratching his head.

Minato handed the Uchiha a piece of paper. "You've got to be joking." He said in shock. "Him?"

"He's the best in the village history, at surgery at least." Minato said shrugging his shoulders.

"My mom would be so pissed if she found out about this. How did you even know where to find him?"

Minato pointed at himself. "Hokage's son, not many people tell me no."

"Shit." Itachi said looking closer at the dossier in his hands. "Good luck I guess."

XXXX

Shikadai was walking with the rest of his team to their usual spot. "Barbecue!" Chocho shouted excited.

"Calm down." Shikadai said walking with his eyes closed and his hands behind his back. "We go there like once a week I can't imagine why you're still so excited to go there."

"Because of the sweet delicacies of barbecue and when we go without Team 7 I don't have to compete with Itachi and Minato for the last tasty morsel."

"Women." The Nara said before yawning and stretching his arms in the air.

"Shouldn't we go and check on Minato?" Hino asked the group.

"No need." Shikadai said calmly. "All the doctors said he was going to be ok physically, and something tells me that he won't let the end of his ninja career affect him too much."

"How can you be so sure?" Chocho asked eating a bag of chips.

"Where did you get those?" Hino shouted confused.

"Because he told me." The young Nara said ignoring his friend's outburst. "He was never all that invested in being a ninja anyway, if anything he may find the whole situation unburdening."

"Oh." Chocho said finishing the bag of chips and looking inside to make sure there were none left.

Above the trio on one of the rooftops a lone Leaf ninja was listening to the conversation. "I guess I should tell Naruto." Sasuke said to himself before jumping towards the Hokage mansion.

XXXX

Kakashi was standing at the front gate waiting for his partner to arrive. He had started to use his Sharingan to count the pebbles on the ground but lost count quickly when he heard footsteps next to him.

The Uchiha took a deep breath and put his mask on and looked to his teammate. "Are you ready?" Dove asked the masked Uchiha.

"Tobi is always ready!" The masked man said putting his hands behind his head. "Lead the way Dove!" He shouted raising his fist into the air.


	12. Chapter 12

Tobi and Dove jumped from branch to branch watching for any sings of danger. "Can't we stop to get something to eat, Tobi's hungry!" The masked man said looking through his one eye hole.

"We need to keep moving." Dove said calmly. "If we stop now then we might lose the trail."

"But he's an S rank criminal!" Tobi complained. "If we don't stop for food we may be weak against our opponent. All we have to do is find him and then eliminate him, just leave it to Tobi." The masked man said jumping from tree to tree with his hands behind his head.

"I hate it when you wear that damn thing." Dove snapped at her teammate. "You act like an absolute moron."

"I'm going to tell Naruto Sensei that you're being mean to me!" Tobi shouted pointing his finger at the masked woman. "Tobi's not happy about being paired up with a bully like Dove anyway. Tobi prefers Monkey, she's says Tobi is a good boy." He said crossing his arms.

"Fine tell him, I don't care!" Dove snapped. "Let's just eliminate the target so that we can go home."

"Fine, but Tobi's still hungry." The masked man said redoubling his efforts in running. He moved in a way that seemed clumsy and uncoordinated but with every jump he landed exactly where he wanted to.

Tobi came to be one day when Kakashi was going through his father's old things. He had tons of masks that he'd collected during his lifetime and for some reason the orange swirly mask caught his attention.

"I see something." Dove said quickly. "It looks like there was a battle." She said landing on a tree branch before quickly changing direction.

Tobi followed after her and landed in the middle of a clearing. "Whoa!" The masked man shouted looking around at all the craters and shattered wood around them. "Do you think it's him?"

"Hard to say." Dove said picking up a piece of cloth on the ground. "He didn't leave any bodies so I'm not sure if it's him or one of the others."

"Tobi hates guessing." The masked man said sitting on the ground. "Tobi likes killing though."

"With everything that's been going on lately I don't blame you." Dove said putting the wood back on the ground and standing up. "How's Minato?"

"Momma says that Minato seems happy." Tobi said laying on his side with his leg propped up. "It could just be an act though, and Tobi doesn't want Minato sad."

"None of us do." Dove said looking ahead. "It looks like he would've gone this way."

"What if he flew?" Tobi asked rolling over onto his stomach.

"What do you mean flew?" Dove asked confused.

"Exactly that!" Tobi said pointing into the air. "Maybe our target can fly like the Kazekage can."

"The Kazekage can't fly." Dove said confused.

"He uses his sand to carry him around." Tobi said using one hand as a mound of sand and the other as someone riding it around.

"And what makes you think our target can do that?" Dove asked.

Tobi laughed to himself. "Because of all the times the trails disappeared silly." He said wagging his finger. "So he may be impossible to catch, unless." He said striking a thinking pose.

"Unless?" Dove asked.

"Unless he attacks us!" Tobi shouted raising his fist into the air.

"And how are we supposed to get someone to attack us?" Dove asked crossing her arms.

"Because we let him know that we want him dead, silly." Tobi said giggling as he stood up. "I can already picture the battle now. Filled with carnage and blood, oooo I'm going to have so much fun!" The masked man shouted jumping into the air.

"You have problems Tobi, I don't know how you managed to convince the Hokage to be a jonin sensei." Dove said calmly looking up at the trees.

"I didn't ask for the job." Tobi said in a sing song voice. "In fact I even asked to be taken off as Team 7's jonin sensei."

"I heard." Dove said calmly. "While you may have a sadistic side, I can't imagine a better teacher for those three."

"Stop Dove." Tobi said waving one hand up and down, "You're making Tobi blush."

"That said you're still a moron." She said jumping back into the trees.

"That's not nice!" Tobi shouted following after her.

XXXX

The masked duo found a town where Dove penned a letter to be sent back to the Leaf to announce that there was a team after the target.

"Do you think the Rock is going to have a problem with us hunting their rogue ninjas?" Tobi asked sitting on the ground with his legs crossed and arms behind his head.

"He's in our land so that makes it our job to eliminate him." Dove said calmly.

"Makes sense." Tobi said calmly. "I hope he's a good fighter."

"Our intelligence says that he's S rank so I'd imagine he's an amazing ninja." Dove said calmly having already sent the message.

"Then I'm going to take a little napey." Tobi said leaning against a tree and loudly snoring.

XXXX

Dove saw a mass of chakra approaching them in the distance. "What is that?" She asked before nudging Tobi. "Wake up, I think it's happening."

Tobi groggily looked around. "But Dove I don't see anything." He whined before looking up at the night sky and seeing the silhouette of a dragon. "Ah!" The masked man squeeled pointing up. "Dragon!"

"Calm down!" Dove shouted holding him back from running away. "It's part of his jutsu."

"Tobi, my man!" The blond man standing on top of the dragon shouted. "I heard you've been looking for me. Now what could an inept moron like you want with me?" He looked over at Dove. "And you brought a date, how sweet."

"You should be nice to Dove, Deidara." Tobi said loud enough for the explosive expert to hear. "She's even meaner than I am."

"Sounds fun." Tobi said before throwing his hands forward as clay balls hurled towards the masked duo.

"We're gonna die!" Tobi screamed in fear.

Deidara smiled as the area in front of him began to explode repeatedly. "So much for Cold Blooded Tobi." He said smiling.

"That was pretty." Tobi said on the ground behind Deidara. "Wasn't it Dove?"

As the dust in the air cleared it revealed the masked woman standing there completely unharmed. "Would you shut up and fight!" She screamed slightly out of breath.

"Oh right!" Tobi shouted pointing a finger up like he had the idea. "Deidara, how explosive is that dragon?"

"It would turn this entire area to ash, why?" The blond man asked raising an eyebrow.

"Tobi did a bad thing." The masked man said putting his arms behind his head and crossing one leg over the other.

Deidara was about to ask what the masked man had meant when he heard an explosion from underneath the dragon. "When did he?" He asked before the area was consumed in light as the dragon exploded.

"Tobi did it!" He screamed jumping up and down in the air.

"He's not done yet." Dove said walking towards where the explosion had occurred.

"Aww." Tobi said hanging his entire torso. "I wanted this to be easy."

"Die!" Deidara screamed throwing explosives at the masked man.

"Oh no!" Tobi shrieked before the explosions went off.

"You forget about me?" Dove asked charging forward.

"No I laced the entire area with mines." Deidara said smirking and crossing his arms. "That idiot is as good as dead and now you're going to die if you take one step closer to me."

Dove took one step after another in seemingly random patterns. "You won't be the one to kill me." She said coldly before leaping into the air slamming her palm into Deidara's chest hurling him away from her.

"That was awesome Dove!" Tobi screamed while standing on top of a tree.

"You could've helped." She said watching their enemy get back to his feet.

"Tobi can't see the mines on your side, so I set more on his." The masked Uchiha happily cheered. "One step out of line and kaboom, his insides go on the outside!"

"You what?" Deidara snapped. "You're stealing my art now?"

"That's what you call art?" Tobi asked cocking his head. "I always thought that puppets were better art than stupid explosions."

"But art is an explosion!" Deidara screamed shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Run Dove!" Tobi shrieked. "He's going to blow us up!"

Dove stood her ground as her teammate ran in the opposite direction. "The idiot has the right idea." Deidara said as he took a bite of the clay in his pockets. "Everything around us is about to become one massive crater."

"You don't scare me." Dove said as she pushed more chakra into her hands and blue chakra lions shrouded over them. "I'll stop you before you get the chance."

Deidara grimaced as he felt a kunai in his back. "You forgot about Tobi again." The masked man whispered in his ear. "I don't like to be forgotten."

"Who are you?" Deidara asked his eyes growing wide in fear as he grasped for the last bit of information he could.

"Tobi, is Tobi silly." The masked man said poking the blond's nose. "He's still going to blow Dove, I think now we should run."

"Fine." She said as the chakra on her hands faded. "But we need a body."

Tobi nodded his head. "His body is going to be destroyed but I'll take this." Tobi said before ripping the kunai out of the blond's back and forcing it just above Deidara's shoulder.

"Fuck you Tobi!" The exploding ninja screamed. "You'll pay for this!" He screamed in agony as the arm was ripped out of its socket.

"Silly Deidara." Tobi said walking towards Dove holding the arm. "You'll be dead." He said wagging Deidara's finger. "Bye, bye!" He screamed as the masked duo ran away.

"Not if I have anything to say about it." Deidara said smirking before the explosion erupted from inside of his stomach.

XXXX

Back in the Leaf, Tobi and Dove were in the Hokage's office. Naruto squirmed looking at the severed arm in front of him. He took extra note of the mouth in the palm. "I guess that's mission complete." He said stamping a piece of paper.

"Yay, Tobi did it!" He shouted holding his fists into the air and dancing around.

"That's mission complete." Naruto said. "You both can take off the masks."

Tobi nodded slipping his off. "My voice is going to be hoarse for a month." He said rubbing his neck.

"Serves you right for driving me insane the entire time." Dove said taking off her mask and revealing her pale white eyes.

"Good to have you back in the village Hinata." Naruto said to the lavender eyed woman. "Will you guys be coming over for dinner?" Naruto asked the two. "We haven't had dinner with everyone since the accident." The blond said with a smile.

"Sounds fine with me." Hinata said crossing her arms. "But if I see that damn orange mask anywhere near me I'm paralyzing whoever is wearing it."

Kakashi smiled rubbing the back of his head. "I was thinking about calling an early night."

"You're going." Naruto said coldly. "I want things to go back to normal with everyone."

"Fine." Kakashi said walking out of the room.

"How was he out there?" Naruto asked his former classmate.

"Vicious." Hinata said coldly. "Normally he's cold blooded and kills easily, but this time it was scary." Hinata said looking at the now closed door. "He seemed to be enjoying hurting the target, rather than going for the clean kill."

Naruto leaned forward on his hands. "Thank you for telling me."

"Anytime Uzumaki." Hinata said over her shoulder as she walked out. "I'm still convinced he's the best teacher for the kids though."

"So am I." Naruto said simply.


	13. Chapter 13

Kakashi was walking back to his house when he felt someone bump into him and continue walking. He looked over and saw Mirai silently walking beside him. "What's up?"

"Heard you got back." She said smiling at the Uchiha. "Yeah, just now. Is everything ok?" He asked looking around.

"Can't I just walk with my former teammate?" She asked her eyes still looking forward.

"I mean sure, but I have dinner with the family later." Kakashi said rubbing the back of his neck.

"Sounds fun." She chirped.

"The kids are watching aren't they?" Kakashi asked closing his eyes and smiling.

"Just Hino." She replied. "He wants me to ask you on a date."

"Oh does he?" Kakashi asked loudly looking around the area with his Sharingan active.

"Eeep." The white eyed blond said ducking behind the cover of the building he was on.

"And do you want to ask me on a date?" The Uchiha said calmly.

"Makes sense doesn't it?" She said shrugging her shoulders. "We were on the same team growing up, we're best friends, so why not?"

Kakashi looked at the ground as he kept walking. "I don't want to be with someone just because it makes sense."

"So what are you saying?" Mirai asked grabbing his shoulder and turning him around.

"I only want to be with someone if it's really the right person." Kakashi said calmly.

"And you don't think I'm the right one?" She asked crossing her arms.

"I didn't say that. But I don't want someone being with me just because either." Kakashi turned away. "I grew up hearing about how much my father and mother loved each other and I want that for myself. I don't want to be convenient for someone." He took a deep breath, "I'm late for something." He said walking away from the shocked Sarutobi.

Mirai clenched her fists as she watched her best friend walking away. "Kakashi you idiot." She said through gritted teeth.

XXXX

Naruto left his Hokage jacket on his chair as he left the office for the night. He was smiling at the thought of his family all eating together again. Even though they did it just after Sasuke got back it was still a rare occurrence to have everyone in the village at the same time. He was pulled out of his thoughts as an out of breath Chunin brought him a letter.

"Lord Hokage." He said gasping for air. "This just arrived from the Land of Iron."

"Iron?" Naruto asked confused as he took the note and quickly read it over. "Thank you." He said to the Chunin as he walked past him.

XXXX

Naruto knocked on Sasuke's door and waited for the answer. Itachi opened the door and smiled up at his uncle. "Dad, Uncle Naruto is here!" He shouted into the house after letting Naruto come in.

"What's up?" Sasuke asked coming down the stairs.

Naruto silently handed the letter to Sasuke who read it. "Who else are you bringing?"

Naruto crossed his arms and smirked at his brother. "What makes you think I'm bringing you?"

"You'd be stupid not to." Sasuke chuckled. "But this is serious." He added crossing his arms.

"What's serious?" Itachi asked scratching his chin.

"A Kage summit was called." Sasuke said.

"So you're leaving again?" The boy asked.

Sasuke looked to Naruto who nodded. "I can bring two escorts with me and Sasuke is one of them."

"How long will you be gone?" The boy asked poking his index fingers together.

"A week, two at the most." Sasuke said smiling at his son before patting him on the back. "Go get ready we'll be going to dinner soon."

"Fine." Itachi said shrugging his dad's hand off.

"How did Obito and Rin do it?" Sasuke asked rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Rin doesn't even know." Naruto said crossing his arms. "Minato spends all his time in his room now, or he goes somewhere and refuses to tell us; and Sakura is a nervous wreck because of it."

"Sarada always has her nose in a book and Itachi resents me." Sasuke said.

"Makes me miss the good old days." Naruto said smiling.

"You call them that now but back then they were hell." Sasuke chuckled.

"I don't really remember it that way." Naruto said scratching his chin.

"Danzo, Pain, Sound, Rock, Orochimaru." Sasuke said raising an eyebrow.

"Well that part sucked." Naruto chuckled. "But the rest of it was cool."

"I spent years captured by one of them." Sasuke said deadpanned.

"Was it really that long?" Naruto asked smirking.

"You're an ass." Sasuke said. "We'll see you at dinner."

"Sounds good." Naruto said waving behind himself as he walked out.

XXXX

Minato was sitting in his room focusing the chakra in his hand. "Just like he taught me." He said to himself as the chakra took shape and turned blue surrounding his hand.

He slowly lowered it down to the fish in front of him. "Steady." He whispered to himself when his door opened and Sakura stared at him as the chakra faded from his hand.

"What are you doing?" She asked scared.

"Trying something new." The blond replied wide eyed.

Sakura came into the room and sat on the floor next to Minato. "Can you show me what you were doing?" She asked already aware of what he was doing.

"Ok." The boy dumbly nodded before focusing the chakra in his hand again. He slowly lowered it onto the fish but when his hand touched it the fish exploded in his and Sakura's face. "Eww." He said shaking the fish pieces off himself.

"What were you trying to do?" Sakura asked helping him get the pieces of fish off himself.

"Lacerate the heart without breaking the skin." He said looking at the ground.

Sakura chuckled to herself. "Just like your father."

"Huh?" He asked looking up at her smiling face.

"It took him years to learn how to properly control his chakra." She said wiping the fish off herself. "I guess it's an Uzumaki thing, massive chakra reserves."

"Oh." The boy said looking down at the mush that used to be a fish.

"Who taught you how to do that?" Sakura asked rubbing his back.

"Shizune." The boy lied quickly.

"Really?" Sakura asked. "I didn't know she was teaching."

"It was just the one thing." Minato said smiling at his mom. "I wanted to learn something new and with my bum leg there wasn't much else I could learn."

Sakura smiled and stood back up. "Come on, we're all going to be going to dinner soon and we don't want to smell like fish."

"I'll shower in a sec." The blond said cleaning up the mess on his floor.

"Don't take too long. You know how your father gets when he's hungry." Sakura chuckled to herself leaving the room.

She walked to the living room as Naruto walked in. "Hey Sakura how was your…" He was cut off by Sakura pushing him back out the door. "What's wrong?" He asked looking down at her confused.

She looked up at him her eyes boring into his. "Minato is lying to me."

XXXX

At the dinner Rin was happily talking with Minato next to her. She had made most of the food, Sarada had come by a little early to help finish but she was proud to be able to bring everyone together like this.

She couldn't however get over the feeling that the room was filled with tension. Kakashi was keeping to himself, and only seemed to be here because it was his house.

Naruto and Sakura seemed to be on edge about something, but they were both making an effort to hide their feelings.

Sasuke and Hinata looked like they had just finished having a fight, and Rin would assume that meant Sasuke was leaving the village again soon.

Sarada was quiet even when it was just the two of them. There seemed to be a permanent cloud looming over her head that refused to let her enjoy herself, especially after Minato's injury.

Every now and then Itachi would glare at his father while he continued to eat but besides that he didn't say much of anything.

Minato seemed to be the only other person in the room that was in good spirits besides her. She had a feeling that was how he'd react. He bounced back from things even faster than Naruto ever did. Rin was also aware that being a ninja was never the blond's dream and he only did it because he felt he had to.

"What's wrong?" Minato whispered to Rin.

"I'm not sure." She said eyeing the room before standing up. "Ok what's bothering everyone?" She asked looking at the room full of people.

Hinata turned away from Sasuke and Rin narrowed her eyes at the Uchiha. "There was a Kage summit called." Naruto cut her off. "I've chosen Sasuke and Shikamaru to come with me." He added calmly.

"You didn't tell me that." Sakura said.

"One thing at a time." Naruto whispered.

"I already told you," Sasuke said to Hinata. "If Naruto hadn't asked me I wouldn't be going. And who are you to say anything about leaving the village when you just got back from a mission to kami knows where that you can't tell me about."

Kakashi visibly tensed hearing that but only Rin, and Sarada noticed.

"But I come back in a couple days." Hinata said looking back. "You're gone for months at a time and just randomly show up expecting everything to be back to normal! Just admit it Sasuke you're driven by this obsession to figure out some myth that's centuries old!"

"That's not what it is!" Sasuke shouted.

"The Nakano shrine." Kakashi said cutting the arguing couple off. "It talks about what you've studied a bit, but my eyes still can't read it all."

"What is he talking about?" Sakura asked.

Sasuke took a deep breath. "It's a place hidden in the Uchiha district that only those with the Sharingan may enter."

Sarada shifted uncomfortably and Itachi deliberately looked away.

"It talks about the true meaning behind the Uchiha and our eyes." Sasuke continued. "It also talks about how we are descended from the sage of six paths."

Naruto grew quiet as he felt Kurama begin to stir in his stomach.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Rin asked already aware of the shrine's existence.

"Because I think that when we almost lost Naruto that was because of the Ten Tails." Sasuke said.

"Ten Tails?" Kakashi asked.

Rin absent mindedly held her stomach as she felt Isobu wake up.

"He's curious too, isn't he?" Naruto asked looking at Rin, his eyes turned to red slits.

Rin nodded the whites of her eyes replaced with pitch black and her irises turning bright red. "He says the Ten Tails is where the Tailed Beasts comes from."

Sasuke nodded. "I think when Naruto used all ten that he was slowly becoming the Ten Tails that's why he was so hard to pull out."

"What does that have to do with what's going on now?" Hinata asked in a calmer tone than she had been using.

"Because someone is hunting the Tailed Beasts." Naruto interrupted. "It's why Orochimaru wanted to take them away that day."

"Someone out there wants to revive the Ten Tails." Sasuke said. "I want to learn how to prevent that from ever happening."

"How bad would it be if it were revived?" Minato asked confused. He had been raised to see the Tailed Beasts as friendly protectors.

"It would require that Naruto and I die." Rin said realizing what was happening.

"And it would be stronger than anything else we've ever seen before." Naruto said clenching his fists. "When I used all of their powers I could feel my own strength gradually growing stronger as well."

"The Ten Tails isn't the end of it." Sasuke said calmly redirecting everyone's eyes towards him.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked feeling Kurama's chakra flickering.

"Kaguya Otsutsuki." Sasuke said simply and Naruto and Rin's faces instantly contorted into rage confusing the both of them.

"What the hell is that?" Naruto asked balling his fists.

"The true form of the Ten Tails." Sasuke said. "There's someone out there trying to revive her, because she is the progenitor of chakra."

Rin took a deep breath as Isobu calmed down as well. "We can't let this happen." She said worrying for Naruto's, her's and Isobu's lives.

"That's what I've been trying to prevent." Sasuke said. "I've been searching for any clues about this person."

Itachi balled his fists before storming out of the house.

"Itachi!" Minato shouted but wasn't able to get to his feet fast enough.

"He'll be fine." Rin said gently holding Minato's shoulder.

"So what do we do?" Kakashi asked.

"For now, nothing." Sasuke said. "I have a plan that I'm going to put forward at the Kage Summit that might help."

"It's a long shot though." Naruto said leaning back in his chair having calmed down.

"But it's the only one we've got." Sasuke replied.


	14. Chapter 14

"You're joking." Yugito said looking across the table at Naruto. "Your plan is to host a tournament within the villages, to lure out these Tailed Beast hunters?"

"I must agree with the Raikage," Gaara added. "It would seem like this was a prime opportunity for the Leaf to show that it is better than the rest of the villages. Especially when Sasuke Uchiha is one of your ninjas."

Sasuke glanced at the Kazekage but said nothing.

"Then we add an extra rule." Naruto said. "No one that is in this room is allowed to compete."

Utakata nodded along. That would remove both Zabuza and Kisame from his roster of ninjas.

Roshi closed his eyes thinking about his options. By Naruto's rule Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi would be out of the contest.

"I think it's a good idea." Sasuke interjected. "Besides we would have those of us that are here ready to strike out against anyone that attacked a jinchuuriki."

"And what if none of them show up?" Yugito asked. "Then this served no purpose and everyone would be suspicious."

"Then we will just claim it was a tournament and nothing more." Shikamaru said. "While I'm not a huge fan of this plan I don't see another option."

"Besides." Naruto started. "We'd be doing it to protect our friends." He said placing his hand over his stomach.

The other kages did the same as they felt the chakra of their companions move through their bodies.

"Shukaku thinks it's a good idea." Gaara said calmly. "He also says that it's been a long time since he's felt threatened by someone that wasn't a jinchuuriki and he doesn't like it."

"How much of that is paraphrased?" Roshi asked smirking at the younger Kage.

Gaara took a deep sigh. "All of it."

"Matatabi thinks it's a good idea." Yugito said. "And I doubt Bee would have a problem with it."

Utakata nodded his head as well. "Saiken and I look forward to the festivities."

Roshi laughed loudly. "It sure would make for an exciting ceremony."

"Good then it's settled." Naruto said standing up. "The planning for the first ever Ninja World Tournament begins now!"

XXXX

Sakura had followed Minato deep into the Leaf village dungeons. She assumed that whoever was teaching him would be down here, because he had no other reason to come down here.

"You need to learn to control you chakra, even your father struggled with this part." Came the calm calculating voice from inside the cell.

"I know, I know." Minato said quietly. "Why couldn't I have mom's chakra reserves?"

"I'm sure even your mother needed to practice before she became the genius she was." The voice said. "Now try it once more."

"Ok." Minato said before Sakura could hear his chakra activate again. She recognized the voice but she wasn't sure who it was. It seemed like they were teaching Minato properly so she didn't want to interrupt, but she also didn't like her son lying to her like this.

"That's better." The voice said again. "It's a tricky move that took me a while to figure out. Using it to perform surgery however isn't something that I'd ever used it for."

"I figured." Minato said. "Way I hear it you butted heads with my parents multiple times."

"Well your father I just drugged him the one time, and I've only met your mother in passing after the war." The voice replied. "However there was one person in that family of yours that left a lasting impression on me."

"Yeah sounds about right." Minato said chuckling. "Well I should get going before anyone becomes suspicious." Sakura could hear Minato stand up shakily. "Thank you Sensei."

"Please," The voice said. "Call me Kabuto."

XXXX

Kakashi was standing in the place he found himself in front of often. In front of him dark colored marble shined back into his face but he didn't move. He didn't feel he had the right to move, it was all his fault anyway.

"Oh Kakashi." Mirai said coming from behind him. "I didn't know you were here. How long have you been here?"

"Not long enough." He said not turning around.

"You need to stop blaming yourself for what happened." Mirai said lightly grabbing his shoulder. "He made his decision."

"And he made it because there was no other option because I screwed up Mirai!" He shouted turning around with his red Sharingan staring into her naturally red eyes. "You and Naruto Sensei may not see it that way, but it's true. Bai is dead because I screwed up. His mother and father can't even look me in the eyes because they know it's true."

"You can't blame yourself Kakashi." She said walking closer to him.

"And why not?" Kakashi yelled. "All I had to do was my job, keep an eye out for the enemy, and we got ambushed and he had to…" He turned away not wanting to say it. "Use that technique, just so that you and I could live. I never should've left him."

"He wouldn't want you to blame yourself." Mirai said looking at the ground. "He'd want you to get back up and keep moving forward, just like he had always done." Tears started to fall from Mirai's face as it started to rain.

"Maybe I'm not as strong as he is." Kakashi said looking up at the rain. "Maybe I should've stayed behind, everything would've been better that way." Kakashi felt himself aggressively turned around and came face to face with an enraged Mirai.

"Don't you ever talk that way again." She ground out the words. "You're still my best friend and I don't want to see you fall down this hole of self loathing. Everybody dies Kakashi!" She said making her point. "It's what we do with our lives that matter. "You and I we're here now, we have people that depend on us we cannot just shut down because of our past mistakes. I was there too, I was right beside you when Bai told us to leave him and go home."

"Those who break the rules are…" He was cut off as Mirai slammed her fist into his jaw.

"Shut up!" She screamed as the rain picked up. "When will you stop being a slave to your father's ghost? Even he failed his best friend, the man that you're named after! Everyone screws up, if you want to make those the words you live by, fine, but don't destroy yourself over your past."

Kakashi rubbed his cheek before he felt Mirai rap her arms around him. "I miss him too, and I don't know what I'd do if I lost you too."

Kakashi looked back up at the sky as the rain fell in his eyes, he continued to ignore it. "Thank you." He said resting his chin on her head.

"Baka." She said nuzzling into his chest.

XXXX

Itachi was sitting in his room listening to the radio when he heard someone walking on his roof. He peaked his head out the window and saw someone jump off the window.

He got onto the roof himself and quietly followed the intruder. He peaked over the roof and saw his sister looking back at him. "What are you doing Itachi?" She asked inches from his face.

"Gah!" He screamed backing away from her. "What on earth are you doing on the roof?"

"Going to see someone." She said calmly. "Go back inside Itachi."

"I don't have to do what you say." He said crossing his arms. "You're only an hour older than me. Who are you going to see?"

"Someone." She said simply. "He won't like it if I bring someone else with me."

"What's his name?" Itachi teased. "I might have to tell Minato."

"No!" She screamed grabbing his shirt. "You can't tell anyone, he would get angry."

"Who is this person?" Itachi asked raising an eyebrow.

"Please." She pleaded. "Just go back inside. I'm getting secret training and I don't want Kakashi sensei getting upset."

"I swear I'm the only honest person in this entire family." Itachi said shaking the wrinkles out of his jacket. "Fine, I guess." He said waving her off. "Go see your secret sensei."

"Thank you." She said sneaking away.

"Ugh." The young Uchiha said resting his back on the roof. "Why can't these people be honest with one another?"

XXXX

"So it's decided." Naruto said happily. "We'll host the tournament in the Hidden Leaf, and we'll all decide on our own who will compete."

"We all have to make sure that there's enough forces to protect one another." Utakata said.

"I'll make sure Lord Bee is in attendance." Yugito said sitting back in her chair. "Has anyone heard from Fu recently?"

"Son and Chomei talk often enough." Roshi said. "I'm sure she won't mind a visit to the Leaf."

"Awesome!" Naruto cheered. "This is going to be awesome."

"Don't forget the point of this dobe." Sasuke whispered. "We are inviting a terrorist organization into our village."

"You worry too much." Naruto said patting him on the shoulder. "Not only will the two of us be there so will the other strongest ninjas in the world."

"What a drag." Shikamaru said stretching his neck to look at the ceiling.

 **AN: I literally forced myself to write this chapter. I'm coming down with my yearly flu and may take the rest of the weekend off from updates, sorry. Also I'm planning for this story to be significantly shorter than Team Obito, just because it takes place over a much shorter length of time. I do have plans for things that will blow your minds and having both Itachi and Sarada know Zetsu is something I think will be very enjoyed once I reveal why. Also I revealed who Minato's teacher is, and talked more about the weight that Kakashi carries with him. If you haven't figured out who Bai's dad is it's not hard to, but his mother I'm saving that reveal. Until next time, thank you for the views and please review.**


	15. Chapter 15

Kakashi was on top of the Hokage monument, on his father's head. If you asked him what he was doing he'd say that he was resting his eyes, but if he were honest he'd say that he was sleeping. He had picked up the habit from Naruto, resting on the Hokage monument in an effort to feel close to the fathers they'd never met.

At first Kakashi thought it was dumb but after a few years the idea started to make sense. He wore the headband his father used to wear that was also once worn by Kakashi Hatake before he was taken to work for Orochimaru, but the young Uchiha still felt distant from his father.

He was close to his cousins, Naruto, and Sasuke. But they were never father figures to him, they taught him how to be a ninja. They were the ones who got to learn what it meant to be a man from Obito. Obito was more of a father to them than he ever would be to his own son.

A part of him always resented Naruto, and Sasuke, but he understood that wasn't fair to either of them so he ignored those feelings for the most part. Most of the time when he thought about his father Kakashi would wonder what he'd think of him now.

Most of the time Kakashi imagined that Obito would look down on him because of his failures as a ninja. He abandoned his best friend to die in combat, and left one of his own students critically wounded in foreign territory. By all accounts those were terrible things for a ninja to live with, even worse so with his father's motto that was burned into his eye lids.

"Figured you'd be up here." Rin said sitting beside her son. "Naruto used to always go on Minato Sensei's head."

"I know." Kakashi said not opening his eyes. "He said that this was a good place to not be bothered."

"I'm your mom." She said sitting down next to him. "Those rules don't apply to me."

"Is everything ok?" He asked slightly worried.

"Everyone else is fine." She said chuckling before her face grew serious. "It's you that I'm worried about."

"What for?" Kakashi asked his eyes staying closed.

"I talked to Kurenai." Rin started. "She told me about what happened with you and Mirai."

"I don't want to talk about it." Kakashi said calmly.

"Well I do." Rin said nudging his knee with her hand. "She likes you, and you like her. I don't understand why the two of you are waiting."

"It's not that simple." Kakashi groaned opening his eyes and looking at the sky. "She deserves better than me."

Rin laughed to herself. "Better than you? And where is she going to find that?"

"Stop it mom." Kakashi complained sitting up.

"No I'm serious." Rin said. "You are Kakashi Uchiha, head of the Uchiha clan."

"That probably meant a lot more before the coup." Kakashi said simply.

"Your father took pride in it, and back then it was just him, me and Sasuke." Rin said lightly shoving his shoulder. "Her father is the head of a clan too."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"You're both prestigious." Rin giggled. "It would look good for our families to be together."

"You just want grandkids." Kakashi grumbled.

"So much." Rin said putting her hands together as stars filled her eyes. "But most of all I want to see you happy." She finished her face getting serious again.

"Maybe I'm not supposed to be happy." Kakashi said tracing the stone with his fingers.

Rin scoffed at him. "Honestly you're even worse than your father was."

"What?" Kakashi asked looking at his mother. "I thought dad was always a super happy and positive guy?"

"Please." Rin said waving him off, before her face got sad as she pulled her knees to her chest. "When Kakashi Hatake first left the village your father blamed himself. I moved all my stuff into his place and refused to leave him alone long, because I was worried about what he would do. It was one of the darkest times of his life, but it was also the moment that made him who he was."

She took a deep breath. "Have you ever heard the full quote of what your father said?"

"Hmm?" Kakashi grunted.

"Those who break the rules are scum, but those who would abandon their friends are worse than scum. If I'm going to be called scum either way, I'd rather break the rules. And if that's not being a proper shinobi then I'll destroy that idea." She said smiling at the setting sun as she felt the smooth stone beneath her.

"He came up with that the day I was kidnapped by the Rock." Rin said calmly. "He and Kakashi had been arguing about whether they should continue the mission or turn back and save me. Obito came for me alone, and Kakashi joined him later. Kakashi lost an eye and Obito gained the Sharingan."

"I've heard the story before." Kakashi said sitting back. "What does that have to do with me?"

"If you're scum, then change the rules." Rin said. "When I was growing up, you completed the mission no matter what, but because of your father and cousins the ninja world we live in cares about others. Bai was a perfect example of what your father fought for."

"What if I can't forgive myself?" Kakashi asked resting his chin on his knees.

"Then push forward and find something worth fighting for." Rin said smiling. "Your father promised me that he'd save the world, Naruto promised me he'd be the Hokage, and Sasuke promised that he'd bring honor back to the Uchiha. We all can't wait to see what you do." She smiled as she looked up at the sky seeing the stars starting to show themselves when she felt a pair of arms rap around her.

"Thanks mom." Kakashi said calmly holding her.

"Anytime sweetheart." Rin said kissing the top of his head.

XXXX

"Will you shut up?" Tenten screamed at the beheaded man in front of her.

"First they want me to talk, now I do nothing but talk and you Leaf village assholes can't stand me." Hidan's severed head said. "Maybe if I just told you what you wanted to know this would all end."

"Yes!" Tenten screamed on the verge of pulling out her own hair. "Please just tell me who sent you."

"I don't know his name." Hidan said. "But he should be here soon."

"What?" Tenten asked confused. "You don't even know where you are."

"Doesn't matter." The immortal head said smiling. "My boss will be here any minute."

Tenten burst out of the interrogation room. "Ibiki did you get all that?" She shouted at the large man with a cap for a headband.

"Got it all, but what could he mean that someone is coming?"

"No idea." She said grabbing a few knives. "But I don't want to be caught unaware by someone with enough pull to hire a man that can survive without his body. We need to tell the Hokage."

Tenten went back into the room to find the head was gone. "Full lock down!" She screamed at the large man. "He's gone!"

"How the hell is he gone, it's just a head!" He shouted back standing to his feet.

Tenten burst out of the interrogation rooms to try and see if she could find whoever it was that took the severed head. "Lee!" She screamed seeing her husband.

"What is it Tenten?" He asked grabbing the hysterical woman.

"The target I've been working on disappeared and I can't find him." She said between breaths.

"I shall search the entire village!" The man said pounding his fist to his chest. "And I shall bring Kiba along for he is my student in the power of youth!"

"Lee I love you, but this is not the time to be monologuing." She said gently pushing the 'Green Beast' out the door to search. "Find Neji too!" She shouted as he ran at full speed away from the building. "I really screwed up she said holding onto her head."

XXXX

Itachi was sitting on a tree branch watching as all the Chunins and Jonins ran all over the place leaving him be. "What's all this?" Zetsu asked coming out of the tree next to him.

"I heard that someone broke out of prison." The Uchiha said shrugging. "No idea how though."

"You mean the man you told me about that your father found?" The plant man asked.

"I guess so." Itachi said. "So what's up?"

"Just checking on my friend." Zetsu said his face showing no emotions. "I heard that your father has left the village once again. You must really hate him for that."

"I don't think hate is the right word." Itachi said leaning back against the tree. "Resent might be better, Minato was always better with words than I am."

"The Uzumaki?" Zetsu asked.

"Yeah, me and him grew up together, and my sister." He added at the end sounding depressed.

"What's wrong with her?"

"She just acts like she's better than me, and now she's found a secret sensei she doesn't want me knowing anything about."

"Well why don't you just follow her? You are a ninja after all." Zetsu replied.

Itachi frowned at the thought. "She has the Byakugan, there's no way that I would be able to sneak up on her."

"It sounds like your entire family wants nothing to do with you." The black and white friend said in a kind voice. "Maybe you should find somewhere else where you would be appreciated."

"I don't know." Itachi said looking up. "This village is my home, and besides then I'd be leaving Minato and Kakashi."

"And if they were no longer part of the picture, would you then want to leave the village?"

"You're talking really weird." Itachi said looking at him raising an eyebrow. "You won't do anything to them, will you?"

"Why would a friend do something like that?" Zetsu asked resting his hand on Itachi's shoulder. "I'll always be here for my friends."


	16. Chapter 16

"Are you sure you're going to be ok?" Sakura asked Minato who was walking with a limp to the door.

"Yes Mom I'm sure." The boy said in an exasperated tone. "You've checked my leg, Aunt Rin checked my leg, Grandma Tsunade checked my leg, even Aunt Shizune checked my leg. I'm fine to walk on it now."

"I just don't want you rushing anything." Sakura said pulling him into a hug.

"I'm just going to the Uchiha district to see Itachi." He said pulling his head away from his mother's embrace.

"And Sarada?" Sakura asked narrowing her eyes at the boy.

"Well she lives there, so I'll probably see her." Minato said scratching the back of his head.

"Mhm." Sakura said narrowing her eyes at the boy. "I'll tell you the same thing that your Aunt Rin told Naruto." She held her hands up one looking like she was holding something in her palm, and the other with two fingers moving like scissors over the thing in her hand. "Get the point."

Minato gulped. "Yeah I think I do." He said nodding his head.

"Good." Sakura said acting normal again. "Tell Hinata I say hi for me."

"Ok." Minato said nodding his head repeatedly and walking out of the house towards the Uchiha district.

Before it would've taken him about a minute to get there because he would run along to rooftops and he was admittedly a very fast person. Now however he was stuck walking on the ground just like all the other civilians. He chuckled to himself thinking how he was just a civilian now, eventually he'd start working just like any other villager.

He was still working to become a surgeon with his secret teacher that he hoped no one knew about. His leg was starting to hurt so he sat down on a bench for a moment and looked at everyone around him and how they moved from one place to another.

He had never paid any attention to it growing up because he was always in such a hurry, but there was a whole world that he was missing on the ground. He looked up and saw a group of ninjas jumping from roof to roof completely oblivious to the world beneath them.

"Never thought I'd see the day." Came the familiar voice of Shikadai Nara.

"Huh?" The confused Uzumaki asked.

"Seeing you just sitting here and not bouncing off the damn walls." The Nara said sitting in the chair next to him.

"Yeah." Minato said looking at his leg. "I never really got the chance…"

"Save it." Shikadai said looking at the sky. "I don't need you to thank me for doing something that anyone else would've done."

"Ok." Minato said leaning back on the bench and looking up at the sky. "Hey Shikadai,"

"Yeah?"

"This is boring."

"That's cause you aren't doing it right." Shikadai said letting out a deep breath.

"It's looking at clouds, how hard can it be?" Minato asked giving a sideways glance at the Nara.

"Just take a second." Shikadai started. "Just let your mind do whatever it wants, probably won't be that hard for you."

"Funny." Minato said with a deadpan. He took a deep breath and continued to stare at the sky. After a few moments he started to think about nothing and just watched the way the shapes moved independently of the others and even began to shift around themselves. "Now I see what you're talking about." Minato said smiling.

He looked over and saw that Shikadai had left the bench. "Goodbye to you too." He said annoyed. With a grunt he stood back up and continued his long walk to the Uchiha compound.

XXXX

He knocked on the door and waited a moment before it opened and he came face to face with a pair of pale eyes looking at him. "Oh Minato, it's you." Sarada said looking at the ground.

"Hey Sarada, what's up?" The blond asked scratching the back of his head.

"Just been studying and training a lot." The Byakugan Uchiha said with a blush.

"Sounds awesome." Minato said with a big toothy smile. "Is Itachi home?" He asked looking past her into the house.

"He's in his room." Sarada said moving to the side so the blond Uzumaki could enter.

"Thanks." Itachi said walking to the stairs. He took them one at a time when he felt Sarada slink his arm over her shoulders. "Don't." He said coming to a full stop.

"I was helping." She replied confused.

"I want to be able to do things on my own." He said glaring at the top of the steps as if they were his opponent.

"Alright." The Uchiha said gently coming out from under his arm and standing behind him in case he fell.

After a minute of struggle the blond made it to the top. He leaned against the wall breathing heavily when he heard the door down the hall open.

"Hello Aunt Hinata." Minato said between breaths. "Mom says hi."

"You ok?" Hinata asked crossing her arms and looking at the former genin that was leaning on the wall beside her daughter.

"Yeah just need to catch my breath." Minato said waving her off. "Just came by to see Itachi."

"Glad you're feeling more like yourself." She said looking towards her daughter and seeing the way she looked at the blond. She didn't show it but she was glad that her daughter was attracted to the Uzumaki boy rather than any of the other boys her age.

He would treat her right naturally. And if he didn't a line of people in their little family would form to make sure that he did.

"I'm going out for a bit." She said casually. "A toad came earlier saying your fathers would be home later today."

"Yay." Sarada cheered interlacing her fingers together and holding them in front of herself.

"I should be back before your father though." Hinata continued heading towards the stairs. "Don't let the two of them do anything reckless Sarada." She said over her shoulder.

"I won't." The white eyed girl said waving.

After having caught his breath Minato walked to his friend's door and knocked.

"Yeah?" Itachi shouted from the other side.

"Open the door you idiot!" Minato shouted. "I may have a bum leg but I can still cut the door to ribbons with a wind jutsu."

Itachi chuckled from the other side of the door as he got up to open it. "How you feeling?" He asked moving to the side letting the blond in.

"Better." Minato said sitting in a chair and rubbing the leg. "Aunt Rin says I should be able to walk on it normally soon."

"Sounds good." Itachi said plopping down onto his bed. "So how are your extra lessons going?"

Minato smirked as he held his hand out and blue chakra covered it. "It's getting easier to hold now." He said smiling. "My mom even has trouble doing this one."

"Soon you'll be cutting everything in sight." Itachi chuckled. "Man my mom would bust a blood vessel if she found out who was teaching you."

"My dad would lose his mind." Minato laughed. "The son of the Seventh Hokage and Grandson of the Fourth, learning from a international criminal."

"Your dad is too cool to get mad." Itachi said. "I mean he seems totally awesome."

"He's ok." Minato said shrugging his shoulders. "Your dad is cooler though, he travels the world trying to solve this epic mystery that's centuries old."

"But forgets about the people right in front of him." Itachi grumbled balancing a kunai on his finger tip.

"You're overexaggerating." Minato said. "He's been back for a while now and how much of an effort have you made to talk to him?"

"I shouldn't have to be the one to make an effort." Itachi said focusing his eyes on the kunai. "He's the dad."

"So?" Minato asked shaking his head in confusion. "You're the one that's upset that the two of you aren't close, so why don't you talk to him, ask him to train you I'm sure that he'd love the chance."

"You don't know him." Itachi said in one motion tossing the kunai into the air and catching it with his other hand.

"And neither do you." Minato said calmly.

The kunai fell to the ground as Itachi stared forward. "I hate it when you make this much sense." He said letting out a sigh.

Minato chuckled. "It's what I do." He said leaning back in the chair and putting his hands behind his head.

XXXX

I'm home!" Naruto shouted opening his front door. He looked around when he heard no response. Normally Sakura would leave a note if she was going to work and couldn't tell him, but he didn't see one on the fridge. "Where are they?" The Hokage asked scratching the top of his head.

XXXX

Two sets of footsteps could be heard echoing down the damp halls of the Leaf Village prison. "I was wondering when you'd come and see me." Kabuto said confidently. He looked up and saw two women glaring at him.

"Kabuto." Sakura said as her only greeting.

Hinata however said nothing as her Byakugan activated and she glared at the sage.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Kabuto asked grinning.

"What do you want with my son?" Sakura asked clenching her fists.

"I'm trying to show that I don't belong in here." Kabuto said slowly standing to his feet and stretching out the tightened muscles.

"What do you mean?" Hinata asked watching for any chakra movement.

"I'm showing Lord Hokage that I would be a great asset to him outside of this cage." Kabuto said gently touching the bars. "Even he never learned Sage jutsu from the Toads and with Lord Jiraiya of the Sanin gone that makes me the only living sage in the world."

"And what does that have to do with you ever leaving this cell?" Sakura asked her anger flaring as the chakra seal on her forehead spread over her body.

"I believe I've already told you." Kabuto chuckled. "I wish to become an asset to the village." He said fixing his glasses. "Even you have to admit I'm one of few medical ninjas that could compare to the legendary Sakura Uzumaki or Lady Rin Uchiha."

"I'd rather just see you rot in here." Hinata said. "Because of you a lot of people suffered in the war and had to face people that had died."

"That wasn't me." Kabuto said sitting back on the ground. "That was Lord Orochimaru."

"The fact that you still call him lord makes you suspect." Hinata snapped back.

"Respect due where respect is earned." Kabuto said nodding his head. "Just as I would refer to any of the previous Kage as lord or lady."

"If you ever try to lay a hand on my boy, I don't care what happens I will personally bury you." Sakura said taking a step forward.

"I believe you." Kabuto said. "I suspect that massive mass of chakra I'm sensing in the village is Lord Hokage and Sasuke. Hurry home before they become suspicious of you and young Minato."

Sakura clenched her teeth and was ready to break through the bars herself when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "He's not worth it right now." Hinata said calmly, her Byakugan deactivating. "Let's go home before the boys get confused or something and try to find us themselves."

"Fine." Sakura said the markings on her body reforming on her forehead. "The threat stands Kabuto."

"I mean young Minato no harm." Kabuto said calmly. "I just wish to see him make the most out of the opportunity he's been given."

After a deep breath Sakura turned around and left, followed by Hinata. "I don't trust him." The Uchiha woman whispered.

"Neither do I." Sakura replied her eyes hardening.


	17. Chapter 17

Sakura opened the door to her house having gotten already part ways with Hinata when she saw Naruto's Hokage cloak sitting on the table next to the door. "Naruto!" She shouted into the house. "How many times have I told you not to leave you clothes around the house?" She came around the corner looking towards their room when she saw a trail of clothes leading to the bed room. "He can't be serious." She said raising an eyebrow.

She opened the door and saw Naruto laying on their bed with one of his legs propped up. "Hey there beautiful." Naruto said with a cocky smile.

"You're absurd." Sakura said laughing.

"So that's a no?" The blond Hokage asked his smile being replaced by a frown.

"No it's not." Sakura said taking off her shirt.

XXXX

Hinata opened her door to find Sasuke sitting on the couch with his head leaning all the way back with his eyes closed. "How did we end up with the house full of kids?"

"Hello to you too." The woman chuckled going into the kitchen. "So how did the summit go?"

"They liked the idea and even if it doesn't work as intended we'll still have a tournament to let some of the stir crazy ninjas get some exercise." Sasuke said still not opening his eyes.

"Would that include you?" Hinata asked coming back in the room with a unmarked bottle and two glasses.

"We agreed that no one present for the summit could compete." Sasuke said filling their glasses after she put them on the table. The two silently toasted and started to drink the clear liquid.

"Because they didn't want it to just come down to you and Naruto?" Hinata asked raising an eyebrow.

"More or less." Sasuke chuckled. "But it would also become a Kage and Jinchuuriki fight."

"Wonder if Rin is going to compete." Hinata smiled at the thought of finally facing off against the famed woman.

"Who knows?" Sasuke said shrugging his shoulders and leaning back into the couch. "One things for sure I'm looking forward to seeing how the kids and Kakashi do."

"You want the twins to be competing against Jonins?" Hinata asked a rare glimpse of her motherly instincts showing.

"We've already decided to separate the tournament based on rank." Sasuke said before eyeing his wife. "I take it you'll be competing."

"Of course." Hinata said grinning. "Why wouldn't I? Can't let Kakashi go and show me up."

"That rivalry will always confuse me." Sasuke said taking another drink.

"He started it." Hinata said taking a swig herself.

"I remember." Sasuke chuckled.

XXXX

 _"C'mon Naruto sensei teach me!" A genin Kakashi begged his jonin sensei that was sitting on a large stone._

 _"You're too young." Naruto said narrowing his eyes._

 _"Didn't Obito teach you when you were his age?" Sasuke asked leaning over the blond's shoulders._

 _"And we tried killing each other with them." Naruto corrected._

 _"That's all in the past Uzumaki, teach him." Hinata chided sitting next to Mirai and Bai._

 _"Kakashi needs to learn to master youth before he can learn an A rank jutsu!" Bai shouted standing to his feet._

 _"Shove it, you spandex wearing spaz!" Kakashi shouted. "Come on Naruto Sensei, teach me the Rasengan!"_

 _"If you don't Sasuke might just teach him the Chidori." Hinata chided leaning on the quiet Mirai._

 _"Obito did know both." Sasuke said turning his attention back to the blond._

 _Naruto let out a breath and laid on his back. "I don't know if he's ready."_

 _"What if I beat a jonin!" Kakashi shouted._

 _Naruto sat up instantly and extended his hand. "Deal." He said as the young Uchiha shook his hand._

 _As Kakashi wandered off Sasuke looked to Naruto. "I wonder who he's going after."_

 _Without warning Kakashi performed a set of hand seals and disappeared into the dirt as a water clone took his place and walked back to the group. "This could be a problem." Sasuke said as he got on the large rock with Naruto._

 _The two brothers looked over at the only other jonin in the area, Hinata was casually talking with Mirai, but they didn't hear as their eyes widened in fear._

 _They saw the hands pop out around her feet and in an explosion of dirt the Uchiha woman was pulled under the ground leaving only her head above the dirt. "Oh, someone is going to die for this!" Hinata snapped trying to get herself free._

 _Kakashi's water clone walked over to her. "Sorry I needed to beat a jonin and you were the closest one."_

 _Hinata forced an arm above the dirt and grabbed the genin tightly yanking him towards her before it exploded soaking her head._

 _"It's better than I ever could've hoped for." Naruto said clutching a shocked Sasuke._

 _Kakashi burst out of the ground. "Now you have to teach me the Rasengan!" He shouted to Naruto._

 _"Sure thing buddy." Naruto said nodding. "But first there's one more thing you have to do."_

 _"But you promised." Kakashi grumbled._

 _"Run." Sasuke said pointing behind the young Uchiha._

 _"What are you…" He was cut off when he saw Hinata glaring at him with her Byakugan flexing her eyes. "Oh shit!" He screamed running the other direction being chased by Hinata._

 _"That wasn't very youthful." Bai said crossing his arms._

 _"What's going to be worse, what Hinata does or what Rin does?" Naruto asked looking to Sasuke._

 _"I don't want to think about it." Sasuke said._

 _XXXX_

"And the little shit's been on my nerves ever since." Hinata said finishing her glass.

"You have to admit, it was pretty clever." Sasuke said doing the same with his drink. Before he could reach for the bottle Hinata pulled it away from him. "Besides, you and him have worked together so many times."

"And how would you know that?" Hinata asked.

"I've seen the Dove mask." Sasuke said shrugging his shoulders. "I mean we do share a closet." He relaxed back in the chair. "And I'd seen the Tobi mask before when I was little."

"Well since you know I can complain about how infuriating Tobi is." Hinata said her Byakugan activating. She took a moment to make sure all three kids were in the house before she continued speaking. "He never shuts up and insults everyone."

"Sounds familiar." Sasuke said smirking.

"Bedroom, now!" Hinata said pointing up the stairs.

"Yes ma'am." Sasuke said going up ahead of her.

XXXX

Naruto was pulled out of his daze by Sakura shaking him. "Naruto, there's an Anbu here for you."

"What?" The blond asked the magic word pulling him back to reality.

"They said they need you in the tower immediately." Sakura said throwing his clothes at him. "Shino never gets worked up like that."

"It was Shino?" Naruto asked launching out of bed and putting his clothes on.

"Love you." He said before disappearing in a flash of light.

XXXX

Naruto reappeared in his office looking around quickly when he noticed Tenten in the room. "What happened?"

"During an interrogation, our recent capture that Sasuke brought in escaped." She said quickly. "We've had people looking all over the village but we can't find anything."

"He was just a head." Naruto said confused. "How does a head disappear?"

"We can't figure that out." Tenten said. "We're thinking someone broke him out but there's no sign of entry. I left the room talked to Ibiki and went back and he was gone."

"This is bad." Sasuke said walking in the room. "I got lucky when I took him out. If I had to face him again I'd be cautious."

Naruto looked at the ground clenching his fists. "We don't have anything to go on?" He asked Tenten.

"No." She said shaking her head.

"Then we don't tell anyone who doesn't already know." Naruto said.

"But a lot of people assisted in the search." Tenten added.

"Then we tell them they now all possess an S rank secret." Naruto said his chakra flaring for a moment.

"Yes Lord Hokage." Tenten replied with a quick bow before leaving the room.

"One of those people was in my village and they got away." Naruto said walking to the large window. "I refuse to let anything happen to Rin or any of the other Jinchuuriki, or Kurama and the Tailed Beasts."

"We may not have a choice." Sasuke said standing beside him. "I don't like it either but Hidan was strong, when I say I got lucky I got super lucky. If it weren't for Susanoo I could've been in trouble against someone who doesn't die."

Naruto was clenching his fists as his eyes shifted to their red slitted state. "I'm going to stop all of them." He said looking up at the village.

"I'll be right there with you." Sasuke said heading for the door. "Should we tell Rin?"

"No." Naruto said. "I don't want to worry her."

"She can handle herself." Sasuke corrected. "She does have Isobu to back her up."

"Fine." Naruto said over his shoulder. "But we should do it together. And let's not tell our families, they have no reason to worry about this."

"Agreed." Sasuke said quickly. "Now let's go."


	18. Chapter 18

Rin was sitting on the couch across from Naruto and Sasuke. The two of them seemed nervous while the Uchiha woman was tapping her foot in frustration. "So you're telling me that one of the people after Isobu was in the village?"

"Yeah." Naruto said calmly. "We should have told you sooner."

"You shouldn't have told me now." Rin corrected eyeing the blond. "I'm a civilian Naruto, and even though I'm a jinchuuriki this is an S class secret that I shouldn't have."

"We were worried that someone may make an attack on you." Sasuke interjected. "We felt wrong keeping this from you."

Rin crossed one of her legs. "This is a bad situation, but now the two of you are running the village. If something needs to be a secret for the good of the village then it needs to stay that way."

"Like dad." Naruto said looking at the ground.

"Like Minato Sensei." Rin said quietly. "And Itachi." She added looking at Sasuke. "The two of you are more or less in charge now, while the thought terrifies me, I know you won't let us down."

"Thanks." Naruto said grinning at the woman who raised him.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted.

"Good." Rin said standing up. "Now I have things to do, so I will talk to you boys later." She finished walking away and waving.

"She just finished telling us that we're in charge and she also just called us boys." Naruto said cocking his head to the side.

"C'mon." Sasuke said standing up. "Let's meet up with the search party and see if they've found anything."

XXXX

Kakashi was walking through the village when he saw someone in front of him, Might Gai was speaking to Metal Lee and Rock Lee. The Uchiha ducked into the alley way and made sure that he wasn't noticed by any of the taijutsu users.

"You can't hide from him forever." Mirai said appearing next to the Uchiha.

"Damn it woman!" He shouted as he jumped back. "Don't sneak up on me like that."

"Aww did I scare Lord Uchiha, my apologies." She said with an overexaggerated bow.

"Cut it out." Kakashi said walking past her.

"They don't hate you." Mirai said turning around.

"Their marriage fell apart." Kakashi said coming to a stop but not turning around.

"Because they lost their son." Mirai said walking closer to the Uchiha. "They both understand what happened and they understood Bai's decision."

Kakashi's fists were balled up and his eyes were shut tight but Mirai couldn't see. "I can't face them."

"Come with me." Mirai said reaching for his hand.

Kakashi yanked his hand back. "I said I can't!" He shouted his Sharingan staring at her.

"And I said come with me!" Mirai snapped back holding her hand out. "I'm your friend and I'm here to help you."

She grabbed Kakashi's hand and pulled him back around the corner. "Gai Sensei!" She shouted to the man. "How are you today?"

"Mirai and Kakashi." The blue beast said happily. "It has been a long time."

"Yeah Naruto Sensei has us pretty busy." The Sarutobi woman said rubbing the back of her neck before lightly shoving Kakashi.

"Hey." The Uchiha said waving.

"My, my." Gai said putting his hands on his waist. "It's eerie."

"What is?" Kakashi asked confused.

"You look so much like your father." Gai said smiling as a sad look crossed his face.

Mirai noticed it quickly. "Really?" She asked looking closer at the Uchiha. "I say he looks more like his mom."

Kakashi was about to say something when he realized Gai was directly in front of him looking closely at his face. "I see what you're talking about, although Rin always had more youth than Obito, but Kakashi doesn't have it."

Kakashi was about to respond when he noticed both Rock Lee and Metal Lee were directly in front of him looking closely. "But Gai Sensei, he has the potential."

"Everyone has the potential Lee!" Gai shouted taking a step back. "But only the truly youthful live and die in youth!"

"Yes Gai Sensei!" Rock Lee and Metal Lee shouted.

"Well it was nice seeing you again." Mirai said happily. "Have a good day." She finished waving and dragging Kakashi away.

"See he doesn't resent you." Mirai whispered liking that she was holding tightly onto his arm.

"Still." Kakashi said quietly.

"Why must you boys be so complicated." Mirai said rubbing her face. When she looked up onto a building. "Come on out!" She shouted.

Hino Hyuuga jumped down from the building his long blond hair falling just behind him. "Sorry Mirai sensei, I thought you guys were on a date."

Kakashi looked at the Hyuuga confused until he noticed that Mirai was still holding his arm, but for some reason he didn't want to shrug her away.

"Hino!" Ino Yamanaka shouted coming around the corner. "I told you to be home by now!" The blonde woman shouted approaching the group. "Your father is livid!"

"Sorry mom!" The boy said shifting his feet nervously.

Ino perked up when she saw the way Mirai was holding Kakashi's arm. "Did it finally happen?" She asked the boy.

"No." He said crossing his arms. "Was following them forever and nothing."

"How did I not notice him?" Kakashi asked confused.

"Let's go." Ino said putting her hand on her son's back. "We'll leave the two of you alone." She said waving over her shoulder.

Kakashi let out a breath. "So that's what happens when a drama queen and a genius have a kid?"

"Stop it." Mirai said smacking his chest. "C'mon, let's get something to eat." She said letting go of him and walking away.

"Fine by me." Kakashi said with a yawn.

XXXX

The two Jonins were sitting in a booth at the local barbecue restaurant when a chilling chakra caused Kakashi to freeze. "Dear Kami." He said as a piece of meat fell from his chopsticks.

"Well look who it is." Asuma said walking next to the booth. "Kakashi and Mirai." He said looking between the two.

"Leave them be." Kurenai said walking next to him.

Ignoring his wife Asuma sat in the booth beside Kakashi. "They won't mind if we join them." He said smiling, "Right?" He asked Kakashi.

"No sir." The Uchiha said feeling the sweat on the back of his neck. The current head of the Uchiha clan could stand against enemy ninjas, and bandits and would face the wrath of a biju many times over before he would face Asuma Sarutobi.

Over the years Asuma had become widely renown over the world as one of the greatest close range fighters in the Leaf. "So how is everyone?" Asuma asked.

"Daddy." Mirai whined as Kurenai slowly took her seat beside her daughter.

Kakashi just stared at the food in front of him hoping that this was all just a dream and that he would wake up soon.

"We can go somewhere else." Kurenai said. "Asuma come on."

"Nah this works for me." He said signaling for more food to be brought to the table. "So any good missions Kakashi?"

"Nothing I can discuss." Kakashi said not lying and also avoiding any conversation.

"Aren't you cool." Asuma said pulling a cigarette out and putting it in his mouth.

"Daddy,"

"Asuma!" The women said in protest.

"Come on." Asuma said pulling out his lighter, "This is my first one today." He expertly lit the cigarette and leaned back in the booth as he took a deep breath. He was pulled out of his relaxation when he felt a gentle sprits of water hit him.

He opened his eyes and looked over and Kakashi's hand was pointing a single finger at him. "It's rude to smoke in a restaurant." He said not sure where the burst of bravery was coming from.

Asuma slowly took a breath and put the ruined cigarette down. "Follow me." He said simply.

"No." Kakashi said taking a bite of his food.

Kurenai and Mirai were shocked to say the least. Whenever Kakashi had interacted with Asuma in the past he did everything he could to avoid confrontation, but now out of nowhere he was directly opposing him.

"Let's go." Kurenai said standing up. "Asuma." She said sternly.

"Fine." He said standing up. "Don't get any ideas." He whispered to Kakashi as he stood up and followed his wife out.

Kurenai looked at Asuma when a small smile crossed his face on the way out of the restaurant.

"What was that?" Mirai asked looking at Kakashi.

"I have no idea." He said letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "I just shot your dad in the face with water." He said rubbing his face. "What the hell is wrong with me?"

"I have no idea." Mirai said still in shock. "That was cool and all but making a habit out of it could be a bad idea."

"Oh I never want to do that again." Kakashi said shoving a piece of food in his mouth. "Only thing that would've made that worse was if my mom was here."

Mirai laughed at the thought. She could already see the moms starting to talk leaving Kakashi alone with Asuma while she was too nervous to do anything else.

"I'm getting a bit stir crazy I think." Kakashi said still breathing heavily.

"Haven't been on a mission since the incident?" Mirai asked shifting a bit of food on her plate.

"Not with the kids." Kakashi said. "I had an S rank, but Naruto Sensei would kill me if I talked about it."

"That's fine." Mirai said taking a quick bite. "It's weird, after what happened to Minato there's a new fire in Shikadai."

"Really?" Kakashi asked leaning on the table. "You mean he's making an effort?"

"More than that." She added. "He's quickly becoming the best genin on my team."

"You going to push them ahead for the Chunin exams?"

"No they aren't ready for that just yet." Mirai said looking off to the side. "They work well as a team, but only when there's someone directing them."

"Makes sense." Kakashi said with a shrug. "Shikadai is the son of the villages Jonin commander, and one of the Sand Siblings. Chocho is in line to lead the Akimichi clan and likely has had some decent training from Karui."

"Don't forget Hino." Mirai said smirking at the Uchiha.

"How could I?" He asked chuckling. "He seems more worried about our love life than anyone else. Granted from what Aunt Sakura tells me Ino was always a huge gossip, but I had hoped that being the son of Neji he would have some form of restraint."

"No such luck." Mirai said pushing food around her plate. "Our love life?" She asked.

Kakashi's eyes bulged for a moment. "I uh…" He froze not sure what to say.

"Aww, you're so cute when you get nervous." Mirai teased. "Don't worry." She said smiling at him. "I'm patient." She wiped her mouth and stood up from the table. "But you're paying." She said walking away.

"Why?" He asked looking at her leave.

"The guy always pays on a date." She said not turning around and adding just a bit more sway to her hips than normal.

 **AN: Thank you so much for reading this far and enjoying the story I'm working on. I really enjoy seeing myself get better, when I look at my writing in the first chapter of Team Obito compare it to my original book and then look at Team Kakashi it's awesome to see how much I've grown in skill. And I was able to do that because seeing the views I get spurs me on, and reviews launch me forward. Thank you so much for the support and like always please review.**


	19. Chapter 19

"I'm bored!" Minato shouted laying on the floor.

"Keep doing your physical therapy." Sakura said from the kitchen.

"But I can already do all of those exercises." The blond complained. "I can more or less walk around now so I don't see why I need to keep doing them."

Sakura let out a breath and came out of the kitchen to see her bored looking son staring up at the ceiling. "How about the two of us do something today?" She asked smiling and putting her hands on her hips.

"Like what?" The blond asked glancing to the side.

"I don't know, what do you want to do?" She asked walking closer to the boy on the floor.

He looked back up at the ceiling thinking about everything that they could do when a lightbulb went off in his head. "Can we go to the hospital?"

"The Hospital?" Sakura asked pretending to be confused. "Why would you want to go there, you aren't hurting are you?"

"No I'm fine." Minato said slowly sitting up. "But I was thinking that since I have good chakra control like you do, and I can't really be a ninja anymore that maybe I could start learning how to be a doctor."

Sakura nodded her head. "Sounds good to me." She said smiling. If he was bringing the idea to her that meant that he may even want her to teach him. "Go get dressed." She said lightly pulling him to his feet.

"I can get up on my own." He said plainly as he wobbled to his feet. "I'll just a be a few minutes." He said walking to his room.

Sakura went to her own room to get anything she would need for identification. She hadn't been to the hospital since Minato's injury, luckily Rin was able to cover for her. She grabbed her lab coat and smiled as she put it on.

She walked out of the room and saw Minato already sitting on the couch wearing a jacket that looked similar to the one his father used to wear when he was young. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah." Minato said slowly standing up.

XXXX

The Uzumaki duo walked into the hospital and Minato just watched in awe how everyone moved around in such an orderly way, yet at the same time it almost seemed completely random.

Sakura was smiling at the fact that the hospital was still running fully even without her there. "So what do you think?"

Minato watched closely as a medical ninja was treating an older man. "He's using his chakra wrong." He said pointing to them.

Sakura looked closely and could see that he was right. The chakra wasn't just healing a bit of the ninja's elemental affinity was seeping through. She ran over to help the Chunin. "Take a breath and do what I do." She said to the nervous boy next to her.

"Yes." He said nodding his head and following the way her chakra was flowing from her hands.

Minato slowly walked over and watched. "I think that's enough." He said looking closely at the man's leg.

"How can you tell?" The Chunin asked.

"His chakra network is returning to normal." Minato said calmly.

"He's right." Sakura said standing up straight.

"Thank you, Mrs. Uzumaki." The Chunin said before going to see another patient.

"How did you know all that?" Sakura asked her son.

"His chakra felt wet." He said shrugging his shoulders. "Whenever you or Aunt Rin healed someone it always just felt like chakra."

"Come with me." Sakura said leading her son through the hospital.

"Lady Rin." Sakura shouted getting the Uchiha's attention.

"Hey Sakura, hey Minato." She said smiling at the duo. "What can I help you with?"

"Minato needs to take the test." Sakura said calmly.

"What test?" The boy asked looking at the two women.

"You're joking." She said, "We thought it only happened the first time because of when it happened."

"Apparently not." Sakura said rubbing her head.

"I'm shocked that Isobu or Kurama never said anything." Rin said putting her hand on her stomach.

"What do they have to do with anything?" Minato asked.

"Come with me." Rin said turning around. "When I was pregnant with Kakashi I was kidnapped by a group of Mist ninjas." She said not turning around but walking slow enough for Minato to keep up. "Because of this Kakashi has absorbed a few traits from Isobu."

"Like his water affinity?" Minato asked.

"Exactly." Rin continued. "Your Grandmother was a jinchuuriki of Kurama before your father, but we never were able to notice those traits in him because he also has Kurama." She pushed the door in front of them open leading Minato and Sakura into a small room. "We've given this information to the other Kages and Jinchuuriki in case they ever have children."

"What does that mean for me?" Minato asked looking around the empty room.

"I think you might have some of Kurama's chakra." Sakura said closing the door behind her. "Not nearly as much as your father of course, and it's not conscious so you don't need to worry about seals."

Rin went into a back room as Sakura had Minato sit on a chair. "This is not what I had in mind when I had this idea." The blond said looking at his mother.

"Neither did I." Sakura said chuckling. "This won't take long, and once it's done you'll know if you have any cool powers."

"Alright." Rin said coming out of the room with a book. She copied one of the seals down and put it on Minato's hand. "Just pump a small amount of chakra as if it were chakra paper."

Minato did as he was asked and as he did it the paper on his hand started to light up. "What does that mean?"

"Well for one," Sakura began. "You're definitely capable of holding a tailed beast."

"Didn't dad say that was illegal?" He asked looking at the two.

"Once the current jinchuuriki are dead than yes." Rin said calmly and showing no emotion. "Kurama is going to be a bit trickier to figure out."

"What do you mean?" Minato asked.

"Well for Isobu's chakra it's easy. He's very elementally based, as with the Tsuchikage and Son, and most of the other Tailed Beasts." Rin continued. "Kurama however, his abilities are a little more nuanced."

"When you sensed that chakra it wasn't something you should've been able to tell, especially his affinity." Sakura said.

"What does that mean for me?" He asked confused.

"Well for now we just know that you have a very acute sense of chakra." Rin said closing the book. "Were you thinking about joining your mother and I in the medical field?" She asked smiling at the blond.

"I guess." He said twiddling his thumbs. "I've already been studying some of the basics."

"Well that's good." Rin said happily. Her and Sakura had already talked about Minato sneaking off to meet with his secret teacher. "What are you able to do?" She asked wondering if the boy would show off.

"Um." Minato said rubbing the back of his head. "I can heal simple scrapes and bruises, maybe seal small cuts."

Rin gave the boy a fake smile. She hated it when people lied to her so she was going to have fun with Minato until he confessed. "Sakura, why don't you leave Minato with me so I can show him around."

"You sure?" Sakura asked narrowing her eyes at her teacher.

"We'll be fine." She said waving him off. "I'll have him home by dinner time."

"All right." Sakura said before looking at Minato. "You do everything she says, you hear me? And if I hear anything about you pulling any pranks I will personally see to it that you will never see the light of day."

"Yes ma'am." Minato said scooting off the chair he was in and following his Aunt out of the room.

XXXX

"Whatcha doin?" Sarada asked her sensei who was reading a book.

"Nothing!" He shouted hiding the book away.

Itachi noticed and walked over. "It looked like he was reading something. What were you reading?"

"It's nothing." Kakashi said tucking the book in his pocket. "Aren't the two of you supposed to be picking weeds?"

"We already did that." Sarada said. "D rank missions are so boring without Minato."

"Someone has a crush." Itachi teased.

"I do not donkey brains!" Sarada shouted standing to her feet.

"White eyes!" Itachi snapped back.

Kakashi would've ignored the arguing but Sarada didn't respond, he looked up and saw her standing there stunned.

"Don't call me that." She said as her hands started to feel clammy.

"White eyes!" Itachi shouted.

Sarada stood in shock before sitting down beside Kakashi and pulling her knees to her chest. "What do we do now sensei?" She asked looking at the ground.

"I think that's enough for today." Kakashi said looking at the twins confused. "Are you ok Sarada?"

"I'll be fine." She said.

"I'm gonna go home." The young boy said walking away and waving behind himself.

Kakashi looked at his cousin confused. "What's up?" He asked looking at her curiously.

"He's right." Sarada said. "My eyes."

"They're white." Kakashi said shrugging his shoulders. "Mine are brown, his are black, Minato and Aunt Sakura have green, Naruto Sensei has blue. It's just another color."

"But they make me look like a freak." She said starting to sniffle.

Not sure what to do Kakashi wrapped his arm around his student and pulled her close. "Who told you that, I'll kick his ass."

"No one." Sarada said trying to hold back the tears. Without realizing it she wrapped her arms around her cousin and started to cry into his chest.

"Come on, you sure no one told you that?" He asked rubbing her back.

She shook her head no in his chest and just kept crying.

"I'm sure he didn't mean it." Kakashi said running out of ideas. He knew Sarada pretty well and sudden bursts of crying were not something she did normally. If anything she was like her mother, very collected and sure of herself.

"I'm a freak." She cried into his chest.

"No you're not." He said holding her tight and getting worried. There was no way that someone would openly say that to her, if they did they'd have to deal with a whole family of pissed off ninja. "Come on." He said picking her up and standing to his feet. "Let's go get some dumplings."

"Ok." She said putting her feet on the ground.


	20. Chapter 20

Naruto was sitting in his office leaning back in his chair. For the first time in his career as Hokage he had caught up with all of his paper work when he heard a knock on the door. "Shikamaru I swear if that's more paperwork you're fired!"

The door opened and Sakura walked in. "Well that's a bit extreme, isn't it?" She asked giggling at the relaxed blond.

"Sorry." Naruto said chuckling to himself. "I've never actually been done is all."

"Well that's quite the achievement." Sakura said standing in front of the blond.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asked with a long sigh.

"What makes you think something's wrong?" Sakura asked.

"I just know." Naruto said narrowing his eyes. "Is Minato ok?"

"I took him to the hospital earlier." Sakura said and immediately realized she choose the wrong words.

"What?" Naruto shouted standing up. "Is it his leg?"

"Naruto!" Sakura shouted.

"I thought everyone said he was going to be fine." Naruto said standing up and walking past Sakura to the door.

"Naruto!" Sakura shouted again.

"What if they have to take the leg?" Naruto said reaching for the door.

Seeing that Naruto was just going to continue to spiral she did the only thing she could think to do, something she hadn't done since he'd been named Hokage.

She walked up to him turned him around and punched him in the head. "Baka!" Sakura shouted as Naruto stumbled back.

"But…" Naruto said rubbing where he had been hit.

"He's fine." Sakura said calming down. "I took him there to learn."

"Why didn't you just say that?" Naruto asked his bruising already gone.

"I was trying you idiot." Sakura said crossing her arms. "When we got there we found out something about his chakra."

Naruto waved her off. "Oh we already know about that."

"I don't think you do." Sakura said sitting on the couch in his office. "He has some of Kurama's chakra."

"We know." Naruto said sitting beside her. "Me and Kurama figured it out when he was a baby."

"Why didn't you ever say anything?" Sakura asked still irritated with the blond.

"It's such a small amount I honestly thought that no one would ever notice." Naruto said rubbing his jaw. "Kakashi has much more biju chakra inside of him because Isobu was sealed when Rin was pregnant."

"Well it's given him a unique ability." Sakura said refusing to look at her husband.

"What's that?" Naruto asked glad that the pain in his jaw was gone.

"He can sense chakra, even better than I can." Sakura admitted.

"Like when I use chakra mode?" Naruto asked now thinking about what that meant.

"Pretty much." Sakura said finally looking at him. "Thought I was going to be the one bringing the news today."

"Don't sweat it." Naruto said patting her on the back. "Don't hit me though, you still pack one hell of a punch. Kurama's still laughing at me."

"Tell him to be nice." Sakura said crossing her arms and sticking her nose in the air.

Inside of Naruto's mindscape Kurama stopped his laughing to watch in shock as a mortal told him to "be nice".

"Well that made him shut up." Naruto said laughing and holding his stomach. "Sakura Uzumaki, tamer of Biju!" Naruto shouted holding his fist in the air.

"Baka." Sakura said chuckling.

XXXX

Kakashi followed Sarada into her house. The Jonin didn't come her often, mainly because he had the feeling that Hinata wasn't a huge fan of his. "I'll get daddy." Sarada said running up the stairs to find the older Uchiha.

Kakashi took a breath as he walked into the living room and looked at the pictures, but his eyes were drawn to a specific one.

He saw Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura all when they were genin standing together, but that wasn't the part that sucked him in. It was his father standing with them. His hands were resting on Naruto and Sasuke's shoulders and he was smiling.

Compared to the image he had grown used to on the Hokage monument it was a stark contrast. The man in the picture wasn't a legend yet, he was still human and that's how people knew him.

He slowly picked up the picture getting a better look at it. "I hated taking that." Sasuke said coming down the stairs. "But Obito and Naruto insisted, once they convinced Sakura there was nothing I could do." He stood beside his cousin and smiled at the thought of how things were back then. "So what's on your mind?"

"Can we go somewhere to talk?" Kakashi asked shaking off the feelings he had, for now there was something he had to do.

"Sure." Sasuke said with a worried tone. Kakashi wasn't the type to ask to speak with someone like this. "I know a spot that would work."

XXXX

Kakashi was standing next to Sasuke, the both of them having their Sharingan activated as they looked at the wall in front of them. "Didn't think we'd actually be meeting at the Naka Shrine."

"What better place?" Sasuke asked. "The two of us are the only ones allowed inside for now."

Kakashi took a deep breath. "I think there's something wrong with Sarada."

Sasuke's mood immediately went from light to neutral as his face became expressionless. "What do you mean?"

After another deep breath Kakashi glanced at Sasuke. "She has some mental trauma that I can't account for."

"I'm going to need you to be more specific." Sasuke said his voice hardening.

"She's showing signs of abuse." Kakashi said quickly.

"Abuse?" Sasuke asked.

"I've looked into it and there's a pattern." Kakashi said focusing on the shrine in front of him. "One of the worst times I've seen it was when we were looking for Minato in the desert. She couldn't stretch her Byakugan far enough to see him, so she panicked and started hitting herself."

"Hitting herself?" Sasuke asked his eyes widening. He knew Sarada was hard on herself and pushed herself, but he just thought that she got that from Hinata and himself.

"Yeah." Kakashi said nodding his head. "And earlier today after our mission her and Itachi were arguing and he called her 'white eyes' before he said that they were shouting at one another just like normal, but after that she shut down. Once Itachi left I talked to her for a minute and she started to cry."

"Sarada cried?" Sasuke asked shocked. "She never cries."

"That's why I'm telling you." Kakashi said calmly. "There's a lot of things that happens with my team that there's no reason to tell you or Naruto Sensei, but this one is different."

"Who could it be?" Sasuke asked his chakra flaring.

"No clue." Kakashi said shrugging. "But I've spoken with Kurenai about the subject and she said that it would have to be someone that had power over her."

"You've talked to Kurenai?" Sasuke asked his anger shifting towards Kakashi.

"She doesn't know anything besides that I'm curious about psychology." Kakashi assured. "Knowing that and that it's not me I don't know who else it could be. Itachi's problems are easily explained, but there's something else going on here."

Sasuke decided to ignore the comment about Itachi for now. "So what do we do?"

"I'm going to be keeping a closer eye on her when on missions, I guess you're going to have to do that at home." Kakashi said finally looking at Sasuke.

"Whoever it is, I'm going to kill them." Sasuke said as black flames surrounded his hands.

"You and me both." Kakashi said in anger.

XXXX

"Is that all?" Minato asked wiping the sweat from his brow. He had just finished a lengthy test to put a fish back together after it had been killed.

"Yep." Rin said looking at the stop watch she was holding. She hid her excitement because his time was better than anyone else that had ever taken the test, including herself, Sakura and even Tsunade. "That was a pretty good job." She said writing on a clipboard.

"Soon you'll be good enough to join this staff." She chuckled.

"Cool." Minato said breathing heavily. "Is it supposed to be this draining?"

"When you first start." Rin said patting the boy on the back. "Your mother nearly passed out her first time trying this."

"I can see why." Minato said trying to catch his breath. "How come you never had Kakashi do this?"

"I did." Rin chuckled. "He was terrible at it, even worse than his father."

"How come I only hear about Uncle Obito sometimes?" Minato asked finally standing up straight. "I mean you and him raised dad and Uncle Sasuke."

Rin smiled sadly at the boy. "Obito is a sore subject for your father."

"Why?" Minato asked cocking his head to the side. "Was it because he died in the war?"

"Did Naruto ever tell you how Obito died?" Rin asked scared of the answer.

"Dad said that Uncle Obito saved him from a really strong ninja that he and Uncle Sasuke had to team up to defeat." Minato said torn between pride and sadness.

"That sounds like what your father would say." Rin said her smile gone.

"What really happened?" Minato asked.

Rin took a deep breath, it wasn't she liked reliving often but with his namesake Minato deserved to know. "Do you know how the reanimation jutsu worked?"

"Orochimaru used it to make a bunch of really strong dead ninjas fight everyone during the Fourth Great Ninja War." He said nodding his head.

"Well there were a bunch of people that Orochimaru used purposely to unnerve people." She took a deep breath. "He forced Kakashi Hatake to fight me, and Sasuke's brother Itachi to fight Sasuke."

"So did one of those revived people kill Uncle Obito? He had to be really strong to defeat a Hokage." Minato said trying to lighten the mood but seeing that it didn't work.

"One of the last people that was revived was your Grandfather Minato Sensei." Rin said closing her eyes.

Minato looked on in shock, having already put the pieces together. He and Kakashi always prided themselves on who they were named for, and this was not something that he honestly wanted to know now.

"And he had to fight your father." Rin continued, "He would've won if it weren't for Obito coming in between them and a deadly blow."

Minato stiffened his lip, "So I'm named after a traitor?"

"No." Rin said bending down to the boy's level and pulling him into a hug that he did not return. "None of us blame Minato Sensei." She said petting the back of his head. "It was all because of Orochimaru."

"And Kabuto." Minato whispered.

Rin pushed the boy back to arm's length and was shocked to see the look of total disgust the boy had. "Minato." She said putting her palm on his cheek. When she did that she could feel his chakra spike and react to hers.

"I need to be alone." He said turning and walking away from her. "Thank you for telling me the truth." He said over his shoulder.


	21. Chapter 21

"You're serious?" Naruto asked leaning back in his chair. "You want me to train you?"

Kakashi nodded his head. "You've done it before, I want to be in the tournament."

"Really?" Naruto asked leaning back in his chair. "I've been having every Jonin submit applications to compete."

"How many are allowed?" Kakashi asked sitting down in front of the desk.

"Four Jonins, three Chunins, and Three Genin." Naruto said searching for the applications he had. "And most of the Jonins applied already." Naruto said putting the papers down in front of Kakashi.

"You know I'm one of the best out there." Kakashi said crossing his arms. "You've seen what I can do and every ninja I've ever fought alongside can vouch for me."

"Why do you want to compete?" Naruto asked narrowing his eyes. "Every applicant had to answer that question, I'm going to give you rest of the day to figure it out."

"I want to fight." Kakashi chuckled.

"Not good enough." Naruto said calmly. "I taught you and Mirai why you should fight in a life or death scenario, it's another thing entirely to figure out why you're fighting in some tournament."

"Can you tell me why some of the others have decided to fight?" Kakashi asked pointing at the stack of papers.

"They're confidential." Naruto said quickly. "You have until the end of the day to figure it out." Without another word Naruto started on his paperwork again.

"Yes sensei." Kakashi said standing up and heading out the door.

"You didn't make anyone else answer that." Sasuke said walking out of a shadow in the room.

"Was wondering how long you'd stay hidden." Naruto said not looking up from his paperwork but still smiling.

"Can't hide from you." Sasuke said picking up a round desk toy Naruto had on his desk.

"Fair enough." Naruto chuckled. "Did you need me for something?"

"It's about Sarada." Sasuke said quickly.

Naruto felt the surge in Sasuke's chakra. It felt similar to when Sasuke would use the Susanoo in combat. "What about her?" Naruto asked setting the pen down.

"Kakashi thinks that someone is training her." Sasuke said taking deep breaths to remain calm.

"That seems to be going around." Naruto said crossing his arms.

"So I've heard." Sasuke said taking a breath. "Well I guess we can't complain too much, but Kakashi thinks something is wrong with Sarada."

"Like what?" Naruto asked leaning back in his chair.

"He says that she's displaying signs of abuse." Sasuke said not looking at Naruto but his Sharingan shifted to its Mangekyo state.

"Like bruises?" Naruto asked starting to get worried.

"Nothing like that." Sasuke said shaking his head. "He thinks she's being mentally abused by whoever it is that's training her."

"You don't think it's Kabuto, do you?" Naruto asked with the obvious question.

"No I don't." Sasuke said. "I've checked the record in the prison. I see where Minato visits, but not Sarada."

"So, who else could it be? If someone is training a Genin too hard when I didn't assign them as Sensei that's a problem." Naruto said trying to think of who in the village it could be.

"I'm planning on following her the next time she tries to sneak out." Sasuke said calming down.

"How are you going to make sure that she doesn't see you?" Naruto asked already aware of how effective the Byakugan is.

"It does have a blind spot." Sasuke told him. "Most people aren't aware of it, but Hinata has talked to me about it in the past hoping to overcome that weakness."

"And how small is that blind spot?" Naruto asked leaning on his desk.

"Small." Sasuke said now having calmed down enough to show his regular eyes. "I'm hoping she won't be paying that much attention anyway."

"Good luck." Naruto said fishing something out of his drawer. He tossed the item to Sasuke. "Just in case you need me there."

"I don't know what I'm going to do to this person Naruto." Sasuke said calmly making eye contact with his brother. "There's a chance that I may be in here again soon, and for very different reasons." He took another breath, "I need you to promise me you won't give me any kind of special treatment if that happens."

"What?" Naruto asked standing up. "I'm on your side Sasuke, why wouldn't I show it?"

"Because you're the Hokage now." Sasuke snapped. "You have to be better than all of us, especially me."

"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked seeing the sadness in his friend.

"I'm not a good father Naruto, not like you are." Sasuke said looking away again. "I've already been given enough special treatment in my life because of our family and I can't let you do that anymore."

"You're being stupid." Naruto said his own chakra flaring.

"Am I?" Sasuke snapped back. "I just told you that I'm going to go out there and possibly kill one of your ninjas, and you're going to take my side. If it were anyone else what would you do, if it were Asuma protecting Mirai, don't tell me you wouldn't handle it differently."

Sasuke continued. "I left the village to join a traitor, I deserve the same fate as Kakashi Hatake for that, and because of you and Obito I got to come home. Home to a place that I've spent most of my adult life away from, and my son resents me for it and rightly so."

"Stop talking like that." Naruto said his fingers digging into his desk.

"Why?" Sasuke asked. "All of it is true. We both know that I got off easy for what happened, and that I've made so many mistakes with the twins and Hinata. It's my fault that she went to someone else."

"If you find them use that kunai." Naruto said coldly.

"Why?" Sasuke asked.

"Because if you're going down, so am I." Naruto said narrowing his eyes. "This village doesn't need me as Hokage, but you need me as your brother."

Sasuke looked down at the ground. "That's not how it works anymore Naruto, it's time we grew up." Without another word Sasuke turned around leaving the still fuming Naruto.

XXXX

"A reason to fight." Kakashi said sitting on top of a building. "What could he possibly mean by that?"

"I don't know." Mirai said leaning on the small wall beside him. "Maybe it's like that time he asked us to figure out our reasons for becoming ninja."

"That's what I thought too." Kakashi said. "But if we go by the choices we gave him then, it makes no sense in a tournament."

"Because there's nothing at stake?" She asked looking at him.

"Only our honor I guess, but that's not a Naruto Sensei answer." Kakashi said with a shrug. "It sounds more like something Sasuke would say."

"He's not looking for the 'Naruto answer'." Mirai corrected. "He's looking for the Kakashi answer." She said scooting next to him and poking him in the chest. "My dad's competing." She added.

"Really?" Kakashi asked looking at her. "Almost makes me not want to." He chuckled.

"Yeah." Mirai said. "He'd tear you to pieces."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence there teammate." Kakashi said dryly.

"Anytime." Mirai said stretching out and lying beside him. She tried to not blush at the proximity to her former teammate but laying down next to him was starting to get to her.

"Do you even think I should compete?" He asked barely noticing her next to him.

"It's not for me to say." She said turning on her side to look at him. "I'm not competing because I don't feel the need, but you do."

"Yeah." Kakashi said reaching his hand out towards the sky and making a fist. He looked over and saw the Hokage monument. "I wonder if my dad would've wanted to compete."

"From what Naruto sensei told us, I'd imagine he'd be the first person signed up." Mirai chuckled. "He'd probably even end up racing Gai to sign up first."

"Think he's going to compete?" Kakashi asked looking straight up again.

"Who knows?" She said looking up as well. "But if you compete, I'll be cheering for you."

Kakashi let out a quick chuckle. "Even if I'm against your dad?"

"Who doesn't like an underdog story." Mirai said laughing.

"Hey Mirai." Kakashi said looking straight up.

"Yeah?" She asked looking closely as her mind started to wander and hoping that he would confess how he felt the same way she did.

"You're an ass." He said smiling still.

"And you're a jerk." She said smacking his arm and standing up. "Besides, who wouldn't want to see the son of the Hokage prove himself to be better than the last generation?"

"You hear him?" Kakashi asked closing his eyes.

"Yeah and this time I might just kill him." Mirai said stretching her legs. "Hino!" She screamed as she heard a loud shuffling coming from the next building over. "You're dead when I catch you!" She screamed chasing after the blond Hyuga.

Kakashi stayed where he was and continued to look at the sky. "There it is." He said standing up and looking towards the Hokage monument. He extended his arm forward, "I'll make you proud." He said aiming his fist at his father's likeness.

XXXX

Naruto was about to put his pen down when the door opened and Kakashi walked in. "I know why I'm going to fight." He said calmly.

Naruto put the pen down and calmly looked at the Jonin in front of him. "I'm listening."

"I want to prove to everyone that I'm more than my father." Kakashi said quickly.

"What?" Naruto asked confused. In his mind Obito was still the greatest Hokage that had ever lived and ever would live.

"You're better than your father." Kakashi said quickly. "Sasuke is stronger than his father and brother were. Aunt Sakura is stronger than mom, I want to prove that I'm better than my father." He said pointing at his chest with his thumb. "And I also want to prove myself to someone else."

Naruto picked up a paper and stamped it before extending his arm out to Kakashi. "I look forward to seeing you surpass your father." Naruto said as Kakashi took the paper.

"Thank you Sensei." Kakashi said taking the paper that had his ninja I.D. photo on it and a stamp saying competitor.

"Bring that with you the day of the tournament." Naruto said standing up. "Now I need to get home to a very stressed out family." He said draping his Hokage jacket over his chair and leading the Uchiha out of the room.

Naruto locked the door behind himself and pat Kakashi on the back. "And I'd be more than happy to train you." He said a smile finally growing on his face. "You have no idea how much smack the Raikage was talking about how her daughter is going to clean house."

"The Two Tails?" Kakashi asked to clarify.

"Yup." Naruto said happily. "This tournament is going to be so exciting." He said clapping his hands.

"Same old sensei." Kakashi said with a smirk.

XXXX

Sasuke sat in a tree away from Sarada wearing his old Anbu mask from when he used to work with Hinata. The mask shown in the moonlight giving his face an eerie gleam. He didn't use his Sharingan because of her tendency to pick up on the spike in chakra.

She was standing in front of a tree and nothing was happening. She crossed her arms and shivered from the cold. She started to look around at each tree hoping her secret teacher would reveal himself.

She let out a depressed breath before she saw something growing out of the tree. "Were you followed?" The half white half black tree man asked in an angry gruff voice.

"No Master Zetsu." Sarada said shaking her head quickly.

"Liar!" Zetsu barked quickly. "You little freak you've betrayed me!" Zetsu screamed feeling the extra chakra nearby. "And you brought him of all people." He growled staring down at the girl.

"Please forgive me!" Sarada shouted louder than she had intended to. "Please don't leave me." She begged. "Whoever it is I'll get rid of them."

"Be sure that you do." Zetsu said as a smile formed on its face.

In a blur the masked man moved in front of Sarada holding a sword out at the tree man. "Handle this you white eyed freak, and no using those sick things either!" Zetsu screamed as he formed back into the tree. "Or else I will leave you just like your father."

Sasuke's eyes widened behind his mask and before he realized it he had been struck multiple times in the back.

He jumped away and looked at his daughter that was staring him down with her Byakugan not active. She narrowed her eyes at him and charged ahead moving faster than Sasuke was aware that she could.

He dodged a palm strike still caught off guard at her strikes. She moved with an efficiency that would've quickly disposed of him at the same age.

He spun around and looked at the tree as the monochrome man grinned before fading back into the tree. He felt the sharp kick to the top of his head.

"I won't let him leave me too!" Sarada shouted as she formed hand signs and lightning chakra spread around her hand. "Chidori!" She screamed charging forward.

Sasuke let out a breath and took his mask off and stared at his daughter. Her jutsu stopped just before it hit her chest and she was staring up at him in shock. "Daddy?" She asked as tears started to fall from her eyes.

The older Uchiha looked down at her with his Sharingan active. "Are you going to do it?" He asked over the sound of her jutsu. "At your age if our situations were flipped I'd have done it."

"Daddy." Sarada said the jutsu still going. "I don't know what to do." She said looking up at him as the tears continued to fall.

"I failed you." Sasuke said. "It's all my fault so go ahead." He said not looking away from her. "Serve your new master." He said coldly.

"What?" She asked taken back.

"Just tell me what he offered you." Sasuke asked his face showing no emotion.

After a sniffle Sarada said, "He told me that he'd never leave me like you did."

Sasuke closed his eyes and a single tear fell down his cheek. "I understand." He said opening his eyes again and looking at her. "Now the rest is up to you." He said showing no emotion again.

The jutsu in her hand died and her hand fell to her side as she looked to the ground and fell to her knees. "I'm so sorry!" She screamed at the ground. What she wasn't expecting next was to feel arms wrap around her.

"No, I'm sorry." Sasuke said holding her tightly and openly crying. "I failed you as a father, but I promise you, I won't leave you."

"Daddy!" Sarada cried throwing her arms around her father. "I'm so sorry, please don't leave me again!"

"I'm not going anywhere." He said still holding onto her.

XXXX

In the distance Zetsu still watched the interaction taking place. "What do we do now?" The calm white half asked.

"We still have the other brat." The angry black side said.

"Oh yeah, my friend." White Zetsu mused. "He should be perfect."

"The Uchiha will never expect us to use the other one." Black Zetsu said as the two disappeared into the tree.

 **AN: Sorry for the late update, but I lost track of time and ended up getting dinner with the family. As you can see things are gearing up for the tournament and I'm revealing some of the competitors that Kakashi will be up against.**

 **As Always thank you for reading and please review. Those things are like crack to me.**


	22. Chapter 22

"Faster!" Naruto shouted as he charged ahead at Kakashi.

The Uchiha ducked under one of the Hokage's punches and kicked his leg out but Naruto moved faster and blocked the attack with his other arm. "C'mon." Naruto said as his blue eyes met the red Sharingan of his student.

"You're using Kurama aren't you?" Kakashi asked gritting his teeth as Naruto's grip tightened.

"So, what if I am?" Naruto asked quirking an eyebrow. "Use Isobu's chakra."

"Fine." Kakashi said gritting his teeth.

Naruto watched as Kakashi swung his leg out kicking the Hokage in the stomach putting distance between the two of them.

He slammed his hands together his right hand in a fist and his left hand open on top of it.

Naruto braced himself for the attack when he saw Kakashi pull his hand back as a dog made of water charged at Naruto. Next the Uchiha did a series of hand signs that Naruto didn't notice before a swarm of water clones stood around Kakashi.

"You should already know you can't beat me with clones." Naruto shouted dodging the water dog.

"Don't have to beat you." Kakashi said as the clones took off after Naruto.

The Hokage deftly dodged each of their strikes and quickly hit each clone as they all turned to puddles around him.

He looked back to see that he couldn't find Kakashi. "Now you're hiding, it took you this long to think like a real ninja."

"From you?" Kakashi asked jumping out of a tree throwing a kunai which Naruto caught.

"Yes from me." The blond said throwing the kunai at the ground.

"Gotcha." Kakashi said before he turned into a puddle.

"What?" Naruto asked as his eyes widened and he looked down at the kunai that turned into Kakashi who already had a lightning jutsu in his hand.

Kakashi slammed his hand on the ground and everything around them started sparking from all of the puddles.

Kakashi screamed as the lightning shocked him too, he would've had a clone do it but water clones can't use lightning style.

The jutsu died out and Kakashi fell to the ground and Naruto poofed away.

"So you can defeat a shadow clone now." Naruto said walking up to the Jonin that was on the ground.

"One of these days I'm going to see just how strong you really are." Kakashi said slowly sitting up.

"Your mother would kill you If she saw you use that strategy." Naruto said watching as the Uchiha slowly stood up.

"Yeah it's probably a bad idea in a combat situation but for a tournament it's high risk high reward." He said finally standing up.

"Well I think that's enough for today." Naruto said patting the Uchiha on the back.

"It's not enough." Kakashi said breathing heavily. "Sorry, but your training isn't what I need."

"I figured." Naruto said shrugging his shoulders. "Do you really want to win the entire thing?"

"It would be nice." Kakashi said finally catching his breath. "But I just need to prove something."

"Be at Training Ground Nine tomorrow at sun up." Naruto said smirking. "And be ready to work."

"Alright." Kakashi said shrugging his shoulders. "Who's going to be there?"

"The person who can teach you how to win a fight." Naruto said chuckling. "Now I want some ramen."

Kakashi rolled his eyes at his sensei as he followed.

XXXX

Itachi came down the stairs to find his father and mother sitting at the table eating breakfast. "I really overslept." He said sitting across from his father and grabbing a rice ball.

"Kakashi said you two have the day off, so I didn't bother waking you." Hinata said calmly looking up from a scroll. She looked towards Sasuke who was still reading his scroll.

Sasuke had told her about what happened the night before and the thing that he had seen. She knew that Itachi had negative feelings towards his father as well but Sasuke didn't know how to address them.

"I'm going to be off training in the Forest of Death." Hinata said standing up and going into the kitchen. "Why don't the two of you do something."

"Pass." Itachi said quickly. "I'll go and see what Minato is doing."

"We're going to train." Sasuke said not looking away from his scroll.

"Don't want to." Itachi said taking a bight. "If I need to train I'm sure that Kakashi isn't too busy."

"It's not up for debate." Sasuke said coldly. "Once you finish eating I want you to get all of your ninja gear on."

"Fine." Itachi said shoving the rice ball in his mouth and storming upstairs.

"Picking a fight with him?" Hinata asked standing beside Sasuke.

"He's like me." Sasuke said. "And a fight is the easiest way to get through to us."

"Oh I know." Hinata chuckled. "Be home for dinner?" She asked heading towards the stairs.

"Depends on him." Sasuke said. "I have a lot to make up for, and this is the only way I know how."

"Fine." Hinata said shrugging. "Make sure you leave a note for Sarada on your way out."

"Sakura is taking her shopping." Sasuke said standing up.

"You and her talk?" Hinata asked raising an eyebrow.

"You and Kiba don't?" Sasuke asked smirking at the twinge of jealousy.

"Careful Uchiha." Hinata said turning around with a flip of her hair.

XXXX

Sasuke stood across from Itachi in an empty training ground. "So what kind of training are we going to do?" The boy asked putting his hands behind his head.

Sasuke took a breath and closed his eyes before revealing his Sharingan. "Come at me with the intent to kill." Sasuke demanded.

"Are you crazy?" Itachi asked putting his arms down. "You'd die."

"No I won't." Sasuke said. "Now come."

"Your funeral." Itachi said before doing a series of hand signs. "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

Sasuke ran out of the range of the attacks before closing in on Itachi and punching him in the stomach. "Why do I get the feeling that you aren't trying yet?" He asked pushing the boy off his fist.

"You're a jonin." Itachi said wiping the spit from his mouth. "I'm not supposed to be able to hit you."

"You're an Uchiha!" Sasuke spat back. "At your age I was able to pressure Orochimaru!"

"I'm not you!" Itachi shouted jumping into the air and swinging his leg at Sasuke.

"Then stop acting like it!" Sasuke shouted catching the leg. "Be your own man."

Itachi swung his fist down but his father caught that too. "How can I do that when I live in everyone's shadows?" He asked, his anger flaring.

"I understand that feeling." Sasuke said tossing the boy away. "I lived in my brother's shadow and later Naruto's, but it never stopped me from being my own person." He stood up straight looking at the boy. "Tell me honestly, why are you a ninja?"

"Because that's what we do." Itachi said charging back at his father only to get kicked back.

"That's not good enough." Sasuke said simply. "I did it to avenge my clan, Naruto and Obito did it to become the Hokage. Rin did it to surpass her teacher, everyone has a reason for calling themselves Shinobi, and just because isn't a good enough reason."

"I did it to make you proud!" Itachi screamed as his eyes turned red and a single tomoe was in each eye.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the boy. "Is that all?"

Itachi grit his teeth before he did a series of handsigns and lightning started to crackle around his hand.

"Chidori. " Sasuke said seeing the jutsu.

"You said to fight with the intent to kill." Itachi said his eyes narrowing. "I don't need you dad." He spat the last word. "I've gotten this far without your help."

Sasuke nodded his head before turning around and walking away.

"Where are you going?" Itachi shouted. "I thought we were fighting."

"I've learned what I needed to know." Sasuke said not turning back and looking at the ground.

"Coward!" Itachi screamed the jutsu still screeching in his hand. "I thought we were Uchiha!"

XXXX

Naruto was slouching on his couch when Sakura came into the house. "What's eating you?" She asked dropping the bags on the floor in front of him.

"I miss being a regular ninja." Naruto groaned looking up at the ceiling.

"You want to be in the tournament, don't you?" Sakura asked sitting beside him.

"You don't?" Naruto asked looking at her. "I mean I'm living one of my dreams as Hokage but I still miss being out there."

"One of your dreams?" Sakura asked quirking an eyebrow at the blond.

Naruto smiled and wrapped his arm around her and pulling her in tightly. "This is my other one." He said kissing her forehead.

"Baka." Sakura said smiling.

"Get a room." Minato said coming into the room on his way to the kitchen.

"I can't wait for him to start dating so we can ruin his romantic moments." Naruto said looking at Sakura.

"There's a difference between romance and cheese." Sakura said patting him on the chest before standing up and going to the kitchen.

"Well I thought it was romantic." Naruto grumbled to himself and crossed his arms.

Sakura chuckled at her husband before focusing on her son. "So how's training with Lady Rin going?"

"She's a slave driver!" Minato shouted as he grabbed a water bottle. "I miss the days when she was my sweet aunt that gave me cookies instead of the brutal teacher that pushes me to my limit."

"I remember the early days." Sakura said with a giggle. "I was training for the Chunin exams with Lady Rin, your father was training with Lord Jiraiya and your uncle was being trained by Obito Sensei."

"So, I've heard." Minato said before chugging the water bottle.

"Smart ass." Sakura said ruffling his hair. "How's your leg?"

"Better." Minato said moving it around. "I can walk pretty easy now, but running is out of the question."

"Sounds about right." Sakura said looking down at the scarred leg.

"Hey Dad." Minato said looking towards the living room and seeing his father's head pop around the corner.

"What's up?" Naruto asked looking towards the boy.

"What was it like fighting Grandpa?" Minato asked shocking both of his parents.

"How did you know about that?" Sakura asked putting her hand on the boys shoulder.

"Aunt Rin told me." Minato said looking up at her.

Naruto looked away for a moment before standing up and walking towards his son. "We'll be right back." He said looking at Sakura before they disappeared in a flash of orange light.

"I hate that jutsu." The pinkette said walking back to her shopping bags.

XXXX

Minato regained his balance and realized he was standing on top of the Hokage monument.

"Fighting your grandfather was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do." Naruto said calmly.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Minato asked looking up at his father.

"Because you were named after the Fourth Hokage." Naruto said sitting down on the massive stone head. "I didn't want you to think of yourself as being named for the man that killed the Sixth."

"It wasn't grandpa's fault." Minato said slowly sitting down beside his father.

"Most of the people in the village wouldn't see it that way." Naruto said stretching his legs out.

"It was Kabuto and Orochimaru." Minato said between clenched teeth.

"Have you been to see him since you found out?" Naruto asked not looking at his son.

"How did you know?" Minato asked his head snapping to look at the relaxed Hokage.

"I'm the Hokage, you didn't think you could see someone like that unless I allowed it, did you?" Naruto said before a chuckle.

"Why did you let me?" Minato asked.

"You had just been injured, and I was curious." Naruto said. "I trusted you enough not to do anything stupid so I let you be."

"That may have been stupid." Minato said with a dead pan face.

Naruto's face turned into a frown again. "But when I saw your Grandfather kill the man who raised me, I don't know it just changed me. I've never been the same since Big Brother Obito died."

"Is that why you killed Orochimaru?" Minato asked pulling his knees to his chest.

"Part of the reason." Naruto said. "He was also responsible for releasing Kurama the night I was born and the reason your grandparents died. He was a horrible, horrible person and I couldn't see a reason to forgive him for all of the pain he had caused."

"And he was easily the strongest ninja ever." Naruto added.

"I thought you were." Minato said looking at the faraway look on Naruto's face.

"I was only able to beat Orochimaru, because of Big Brother Obito and the Tailed Beasts." Naruto said with a smile as his hand went over his stomach.

"But that almost killed you." Minato said sensing the slight murmur of Kurama's chakra coming off his father.

"Yeah it did." Naruto said nodding. "I got overconfident and if it weren't for your mom and uncle Sasuke I would've died."

"Because of Kaguya." Minato said.

"Yeah." Naruto added. "But you won't need to worry about her, your uncle and I have it all under control." The Hokage said with a big smile.

XXXX

Miles away from the Hidden Leaf two men stood in the middle of a jungle. "So they're all going to be in the same place at once?" The short one asked.

"That is correct, my lord." The large one said bowed on one knee. "They are planning a massive tournament for the strongest warriors."

"I say we show them who really is strongest." The smaller one said standing up and looking towards the moon with his pale white eye.


	23. Chapter 23

"Minato it's time to go!" Sakura shouted while knocking on the blond's door.

"I'm coming!" He shouted back grabbing the rest of his stuff. "Is dad already there?" He asked coming out of the door.

"Yeah he had to be one of the first ones there." Sakura said grabbing their lunches.

"You wish you were out there?" Minato asked heading out the door followed by his mother.

"Only a bit." Sakura said smiling. "What about you?"

Minato put his hands behind his head. "Nah, it would've just bothered Itachi when I beat him."

"You just don't want to fight Sarada." Sakura said smirking at the boy.

"What?" He asked as a blush came across his face.

XXXX

Naruto was sitting in a box with four other people. "So I heard that Nine has one of his students out there." Yugito said taking a drink and sitting with the others.

"I have heard the same." Gaara said looking ahead.

"He's not just my student." Naruto said grinning. "He's also the son of the Sixth Hokage."

"Then that means," Utakata began.

"He's three's brat." Roshi said laughing loudly. "Oh this tournament is starting to get really exciting."

"It would seem so." Yugito said crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair.

"How's Minato?" Gaara asked the Hokage.

"He's better now, thanks for asking." Naruto said happily.

"Will we be seeing the son of the Seventh out there?" Roshi asked rubbing his elbow into Naruto.

"Sadly no." Naruto said trying to be diplomatic. "He suffered an injury during a mission and while he's mostly fine he can't really be a ninja anymore."

"That's unfortunate." Utakata said calmly. "I had hoped to see children from each of the Jinchuuriki in combat."

"Not all of us have children." Gaara said calmly.

"Don't sweat it one." Yugito said waving him off. "Eventually you'll find someone just as bland and boring as you."

Gaara just looked at his fellow Kage before simply nodding. "Who else will be competing?" He asked changing the subject.

"Sasuke's kids." Naruto said happily.

"The Hyuuga, Uchiha mutts?" Roshi asked. "That's going to be quite the show."

"No less than my youngest." Yugito said proudly. "My girls are stronger than I was at their age."

"Even with Matatabi?" Utakata asked.

"Let's be honest." Yugito started. "Apart from Bee none of us got along with our biju until Nine here decided that he wanted to meet all of us."

They all nodded happily and Naruto rubbed the back of his neck with a blush on his face. "I think they're getting started he said pointing towards the stadium below them.

Kiba walked out the center of the arena. "On behalf of the Leaf Village I'd like to welcome everyone to the first ever Ninja World Tournament!"

The crowd cheered wildly as Kiba basked in the fame he was feeling at the moment. "I'm not the person you came here to see!" He shouted, "Our first match is between one of the Leaf's own genin, against the Mist's Kirgetsu!"

Utakata gently clapped as the red and silver haired girl wearing glasses came out into the arena.

In the stands Itachi froze in place for a moment looking at the red haired beauty before he shook his head to regain his composure.

"And now from the Leaf," Kiba began. "If it weren't for his mother pressuring him he wouldn't even be here, it's my pleasure to introduce you to Shikadai Nara!"

The calm Nara walked out of the tunnel on his side up to Kiba. "Did you have to go and bring my mother into this?"

"Aww." Kirgetsu teased. "I always thought that Momma's boys are cute."

"Troublesome." The Nara said cleaning his ear with his pinky. "Why did I have to be up against a girl?"

Temari leaned closer to Shikamaru, "Sound familiar?" She asked.

"Way too familiar." The assistant of the Hokage said rubbing his nose.

"Now let the first match of the First Ever World Ninja Tournament begin!" Kiba shouted before backing away from the fighters.

Shikadai sat down on the ground and started to trace his fingers in the dirt.

"Aren't you going to fight me?" The girl asked grabbing a small sword over her back.

"Don't see why I should." Shikadai said calmly. "I have an advantage over you."

"Oh?" The girl asked the grip on her sword loosening.

"It's nothing." Shikadai said before standing up. "Since I'm here, I might as well at least try to win. I'm curious about some of my comrades so I guess I need to beat you."

"Like to see you try." Kirgetsu said before bending her knees and lunging forward at the Nara who dodged the attack driving an elbow into her stomach.

"How's that?" He asked a smirk appearing for a moment.

Up in the Kage booth Utakata was watching intently. "That's your nephew is it not Kazekage?"

"It is." Gaara said calmly. "He's quite talented, but I am worried about him against someone from that family."

Naruto grinned watching the fight. "It's never smart to count one of the Leaf out."

Back in the ring Shikadai was continuing to dodge each attack before he put his hands together and a shadow extended from his body and hitting Kirgetsu's. "Shadow Possession complete." He said as he lowered his hand and the girl did the same.

"Give up." He said looking at her. "I've already won."

Kirgetsu grinned revealing her sharp teeth. "Don't bet on it." She said before her entire body turned to water.

"Troublesome." Shikadai said releasing the jutsu.

Sasuke watched from the stands next to Sakura, Rin, and Minato. "Hn." He said with a grin.

"Sasuke isn't that?" Sakura asked.

"She's a Hozuki." Sasuke said smiling.

"Come on Shikadai." Minato said putting his hands together.

Back in the Kage booth Naruto leaned forward curious. "I met someone with a similar ability during the war."

"Her father." Utatakata said. "He was a Sound Ninja at the time, but with the help of your friend Sasuke Uchiha, he was welcomed back into the Mist."

Naruto leaned back trusting Sasuke.

"Troublesome." Shikadai said backing away from the girl. "I figured as much." He said putting his hands behind his head.

"This is a fight." The girl said adjusting her glasses. "Act like it."

"Fine." Shikadai said with a groan.

"You can do it Shikadai!" Minato shouted shocking his family.

"Blonds." Shikadai said smiling at the cheers.

Back in the Kage booth Gaara narrowed his eyes at the fighters.

"Isn't that your brat?" Yugito asked Naruto.

"Heh, yeah." Naruto said scratching the back of his head.

"He's just like you." She replied smiling as the rest of the Kages nodded.

"Thanks." He said sinking back into his chair.

Gaara stood up and walked to the hand railings to watch closer.

Shikadai dodged a sword swing and threw a punch that connected with her face but it just exploded with water.

"Use it!" Gaara shouted from the booth.

Shikadai froze in place for a moment. "Uncle?" He asked looking up to the Kage box.

"Turn her to mud!" Minato screamed.

Shikadai grinned as he stretched his arms out. "I have been practicing." He said as a smirk crossed his face.

Kirgetsu held her sword out in front of her waiting for the attack in front of her, but she didn't notice the wave of sand coming from behind her.

She heard the sound and turned around but it was too late as she was buried in the sand.

"Call the match." Shikadai said letting the sand be. "Her jutsu won't save her in there."

A golden chain burst through the sand heading straight for Shikadai who ducked out of the way.

"Water isn't all I can do." Kirgetsu said breathing heavily.

Sakura looked on in shock. "Lady Rin." She said getting the older woman's attention. "That's the same technique that Naruto's mother used."

"Kushina?" Rin asked looking down at the stadium.

"Utakata?" Naruto asked looking at the Mizukage.

"You aren't the only Uzumakis in the world Naruto." The robed man said smiling down at the field.

"Well." Shikadai said standing up straight again. "I guess the two of us are going to be throwing around kekkei genkais from the start."

"Sounds fun." The Hozuki said before another chair hurled at the Nara.

Shikadai quickly pulled a wall of sand up in front of him that redirected the chain into the wall. Another chain came up one after the other until the stadium was filled with chains that were all connected to Kirgetsu.

"You don't have anywhere to run." She said starting to breathe heavily.

"Don't need to." Shikadai said looking at the chains. "It takes a great deal of chakra to create a physical object, even for an Uzumaki that would be exhausting."

All the chains retracted back into Kirgetsu as she straightened her back. "You're pretty smart, for a boy."

"I try." Shikadai said shrugging his shoulders. He raised his arm out as a torrent of sand passed him and slammed into his opponent. "Lucky for me my mom's family has plenty of chakra."

Temari smile in pride watching her son.

"I win this one." Shikadai said pulling his hand back as all the sand around Kirgetsu backed away from her and orbited her body. "Sand Coffin!" He shouted closing his fist as the sand around the girl smashed together.

Everyone in the stadium stood up in shock. The Kazekage's execution move was well known in the ninja world.

"That was uncalled for!" Kiba shouted running over to the Nara.

"She's fine." Shikadai said putting his hands behind his head again. "Made of water, remember?"

The sand pile started to leak water as the girl reformed laying on the ground and groaning in pain.

Kiba stared in shock. "And the winner is Shikadai Nara!" He shouted pointing to the boy.

The crowd waited a minute before they all cheered in unison at the fight they had just witnessed.

"Very impressive." Naruto said smiling as he clapped.

"You're just saying that because your guy one." Roshi said with a big belly laugh.

In the competitors stands Kakashi was standing next to his two students. "Looks like you guys have some serious competition." He said smiling at the two.

"Seems like it." Sarada said smiling.

"Doesn't matter." Itachi said. "If Minato can't be out there, then there's no one that can stop me."

"Don't be too sure." Came a female voice.

The Uchiha trio turned around to see two blonde women with Cloud headbands on their heads.

"The Nii sisters I take it." Kakashi said crossing his arms and leaning on the railing.

"Watch the attitude." The older one said looking at her competition. "So you're the son of the Legendary Obito Uchiha and the Jinchuuriki of the Three Tales Rin Nohara." She said crossing her arms.

"The one and only." Kakashi said smiling at the blond. "Name's Kakashi." He said extending his hand out.

"Charmed." The girl said.

"You're supposed to tell us your name." Sarada said calmly.

"Kuroto." The older one said calmly.

"Kasai." The younger girl said staring at Itachi who stared right back.

"I look forward to going against you." Kakashi said happily.

"The feeling isn't mutual." Kasai said.

"Looks like we agree on something." Itachi said his Sharingan activating.

XXXX

After a few more rounds Kiba took center stage once again. "Now I'd like to welcome one of the two terrors of the Hidden Cloud, Kasai Nii, Daughter of the Raikage!" The crowd began to cheer as the young blonde girl walked out showing no emotions on her face.

Yugito leaned forward in her chair. "Now you all get to see what a real Genin is capable of."

"And from the Hidden Leaf," Kiba started. "Sarada Uchiha one of our own twin Uchiha!"

The Byakugan Uchiha came out of the tunnel and was looking ahead at the girl in front of her. She held her hand up and did the sign of confrontation.

"Cute." Kasai said in response as she did the same. "This won't take long Uchiha." She said with a yawn.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes at the girls in the stadium. "She's right you know." Kuroto said standing beside him. "She doesn't have the drive to win here."

"Don't underestimate her." Kakashi said not taking his eyes off the battlefield.

"Don't take it personally." Kuroto said smirking at the Uchiha. "People like us are above and beyond the average person."

"Sarada isn't average." Itachi said watching the battlefield as well.

The Uchiha girl activated her Byakugan as she took her stance. "Ready whenever you are."

"Oh this is going to be fun." Kasai said cracking her knuckles.

In a moment the Cloud ninja had moved into Sarada's defense and was already swinging upwards. "Too slow." Sarada said slamming her palm into her opponents chest tossing her away.

"Told you." Kakashi said relaxing his stance. "Sarada is better than some of the fully grown Hyuuga when it comes to her eyes."

"That won't be enough to stop her." Kuroto said with a smirk. "You should know better than that." She said looking at the Uchiha. "She'll be able to get past a simple blocked chakra point."

Kasai regained her footing and put her hand over her chest. "You're too soft." She said flexing the chakra in her chest. "I take it that sensei of yours isn't even aware of his abilities."

Sarada's eyes widened as she saw the closed chakra point open effortlessly. "How?" She asked before Kasai pounced in front of her delivering a brutal punch to the stomach.

Sarada spit out blood taking the impact and fell to the ground and slowly stood back up. "We don't give up." She said wiping the blood from her lips.

"Good." Kasai said licking her lips. "I was hoping that someone would give me a proper warm up."

She moved faster than Sarada's eyes could track and ended up behind her. "Remember, no giving up." She said before slamming her fist into Sarada's back.

"Damn it!" Sarada shouted turning around and swinging her palm to try and hit something but Kasai had already ducked under the swing and delivered a brutal uppercut to the Uchiha's chin hurling her into the air.

The blonde licked her lips again before leaping into the air and drop kicking the still airborne Sarada. "I thought you said that you were going to put up a fight."

Sasuke clenched his jaw watching the fight. He knew that Sarada was outmatched and he also knew she wouldn't give up until she was on the ground unconscious.

"She'll be fine." Rin said putting her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure she has a plan."

Yugito leaned back in her chair. "I've tried to break her of this habit."

"Hmm?" Gaara asked looking towards his fellow Kage.

"She likes to play with her food." Yugito said calmly.

"Like a proper cat." Utakata said.

"Exactly." Yugito said. "Luckily her sister doesn't have that problem. She attacks mercilessly and with efficiency that scares me."

"I'm not done yet Uchiha." Kasai said walking around Sarada who was still trying to get back to her feet.

Sarada stood to her feet wobbling and swung her fist that landed on Kasai's chest and rested there afterwards.

"What a disappointment you white eyed freak." Kasai said about to swing her arm but found that her collar had been grabbed by the fist on her hand and she was thrown over Sarada's head.

"Nobody calls me that!" She screamed kicking the Cloud ninja in the side.

"Finally." Kasai said bouncing back to her feet.

Sarada retook her stance all the exhaustion from a moment ago seemingly gone. She charged forwards quickly and swung her foot slamming it into her opponents face hurling her away. "I am Uchiha!"

Kasai flipped in the air and landed on the far wall on her feet and stuck there. "So with those eyes you can see chakra right?"

"Yes." Sarada said starting to breathe heavily.

"Tell me what you see." Kasai said as she built chakra in her stomach.

Sarada looked closely and she felt her heart skip a beat. "How?" She asked backing away.

"Now you understand?" Kasai asked stepping off the wall. "Me and my sister, hell even that Sensei of yours, we've all got a little something stored away just in case, but I don't need that to beat you."

Sarada clicked her tongue. "Doesn't mean I'm not going down without a fight."

"That's what I like to hear." The blonde said retaking her battle stance. "C'mon princess."

Sarada moved quickly and jumped into the air again swinging her leg for a kick but anticipating Kasai to either block the kick and strike or duck under. If she blocked Sarada would deliver a single palm strike to her opponents face, if she ducked she would land on the ground and handspring back into her opponent.

Kasai smirked seeing her opponent coming and seemingly blurred away causing Sarada's eyes to widen before she noticed the chakra behind her. "Boo." She said before slamming her foot into Sarada rocketing her into the wall.

Sarada fell to the ground and didn't move. Kiba came forward. "I declare Kasai Nii the winner!" He shouted.

In an instant Kakashi was in the ring picking up his student. "You did good kid." He said smiling at her sleeping face.

He jumped back into the stands. "Mom." He said handing the unconscious girl to the woman.

After a moment Rin looked to Sasuke. "She'll need to be taken somewhere with the proper staff."

The Uchiha nodded and picked his daughter up. "Watch Itachi's match for me." He said to Kakashi.

"No problem." Kakashi said with a nod.

After Kasai left the ring Kiba stood in the middle again. "Now I'd like to welcome to the arena Stepel of the hidden Rock!"

A large boy came to the center of the arena flexing as the crowd cheered for him.

"I was hoping he wouldn't do that." Roshi said rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"He does this often?" Yugito asked.

"He's always had a flair for the dramatic." Roshi said with a long sigh.

Naruto however was looking closely at the two Nii sisters as they watched the overly enthusiastic fighter. He could tell there was something different about their chakra, he then realized that Minato and Kakashi had the same extra bit of chakra stored away.

"Yugito." Naruto asked glancing towards the Raikage.

"What's up?" The blonde asked skeptically.

"How did you learn how to use their latent chakra?" He asked.

"They learned on their own." Yugito replied calmly. "One day Kuroto came into my office and showed me. Half the Anbu flooded the room thinking Matatabi had gotten loose."

Naruto turned his attention to the arena where the next fighter was about to be announced.

"And now I'd like to welcome Itachi Uchiha the second to the ring!" The crowd went wild cheering for one of the Uchiha.

"You're going down little boy." Stepel said walking right up to Itachi and looking down at him.

"You don't interest me." Itachi said calmly glancing to the stands and seeing that his father wasn't in the stands anymore. "I thought that no one here would, but I was wrong."

"What?" Stepel asked raising an eyebrow.

"You're in my way." Itachi said before slamming his fist into Stepel's stomach and then jumping into the air driving his knee into the Rock ninjas face before grabbing his head and throwing it into the ground.

"Call the match Inuzuka." Itachi said calmly. "He isn't getting back up." He added before turning around and walking away.

"I guess the winner is Itachi Uchiha." Kiba said scratching his chin.

Itachi walked past Kakashi. "You good?" the older Uchiha asked.

"I don't care about this tournament." Itachi said over his shoulder. "But I'm going to beat that Cloud bitch, no one does that to my sister."

Kiba spoke up again. "And that's the end of the genin matches, we will begin the Chunin matches after a brief intermission."

Naruto stood up from his seat. "If you'll excuse me I'm going to check on Sarada." He said quickly.

"I too wish to speak with Shikadai." Gaara said standing up.

"Guess we might as well all stretch our legs." Roshi said standing up and stretching.

Naruto walked past the long line of ninjas from each village that was guarding each of the Kage with Gaara right behind him. "If Yugito's daughters have that kind of power, than so does Minato."

"That would make sense." Gaara said. "Shukaku says he doesn't know anything about the children of jinchuuriki having any special abilities."

"Kurama is drawing a blank as well." Naruto said coming around the corner.

XXXX

After the rest of the matches only one was left in the day. As usual Kiba was standing in the center of the ring. "Now I would like to introduce the final Jonin match of the day!" He shouted as the crowd cheered.

"First, From the Village Hidden in the Mist, few Jonin are as feared as this deceptive fighter. He eliminates his opponents using the lost art of his family's Kekkei Genkai, Haku Yuki!"

The audience cheered in excitement as the feminine man came out of his tunnel waving to the crowd.

"Now without further ado." Kiba said as the crowd quieted down. "One of the youngest Jonin in the Village Hidden in the Leaves, son of the Sixth Hokage, student of the Seventh and nearly a legend in his own right, Kakashi Uchiha!"

The crowd had cheered before but this was something else entirely, the stadium erupted with a pure sense of excitement as the Uchiha heir came out of his tunnel waving to the crowd.

"I hear he's the richest man in the village." One of the younger ninja girls said.

"Well I heard that he's even stronger than Lord Seventh." Another one said.

Mirai rolled her eyes at their discussion. "Oh relax." Kurenai said nudging her. "Your father already won his match, not let's root for your little boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend!" Mirai shouted at her mother.

"Sure, he's not." Kurenai said patting her shoulder. "I wonder what would happen if someone naturally had red eyes and the Sharingan?"

"Mom!" Mirai groaned trying to hide her blush.

"Rin will be so excited when I tell her." Kurenai teased.

Kakashi looked ahead at the smiling man in front of him. "Good luck."

"And to you too." Haku said.

Kiba raised his hand up. "Shinobi combat, begin!" He shouted as the arm came down.

Kakashi backed away from his opponent. He was aware of Haku's abilities and didn't want to get caught in his ice mirrors. His Sharingan was active as he looked ahead.

"He's not charging ahead?" Roshi asked. "Are we sure he's your student?" He asked looking towards Naruto.

The blond laughed. "Luckily he took his sense of caution from his mom, and not Big Brother Obito and Me."

Kakashi grabbed a kunai from his pouch and held it at the ready as Haku did the same with senbon. "It's been a long time since I've fought someone without the intention to kill." Haku said his face becoming neutral.

"Same here." Kakashi said with a smirk. "But both of us tend to wear masks when we do that."

Haku let a smirk go. "And how would you know about that?"

"I'm a ninja." He said throwing his kunai at his opponent who deflected it by throwing a senbon in return.

Kakashi grinned seeing the way his opponent moved with a slight hesitation. The fighters launched forward and met in a clash in the middle, "I won't give you a chance to use those mirrors of yours." He said as they made eye contact.

"And I won't give you a chance to use any genjutsu." Haku said calmly holding the eye contact.

Haku raised his foot kicking Kakashi in the side jumping away he formed a hand sign as mirrors formed around the Uchiha. The ice ninja jumped into one of the mirrors and was then reflected into all of them. "Even your Sharingan won't save you here." Haku said as a storm of senbons fell on Kakashi.

"Gah!" The Uchiha screamed in pain as each one felt like it expanded on entry.

"Give up Kakashi." Haku said readying another volley. "Now there's nothing you can do to defeat me."

"Really?" Kakashi asked looking up, "Not even a genjutsu?"

"What?" Haku asked as he realized there were no mirrors around him and Kakashi was pulling his fist back before he slammed it into the Mist ninjas face.

Haku tried to regain his footing but Kakashi was already swinging his leg for an attack as he did a quick hand sign and a water clone appeared next to him as they both kicked the Mist ninja into the air.

"No way." Naruto said in shock.

"Another one?" Sasuke asked.

"Uchiha!" Kakashi shouted leaping into the air after Haku, "Rasengan barrage!" He screamed as the blue chakra orb formed in Kakashi's hand and slamming it into his chest flinging him down at the ground.

Kakashi landed on his feet and watched as Haku didn't get back up.

Kiba walked over, "And the winner is, Kakashi Uchiha!"

Naruto leapt into the air. "Go Kakashi!" He said before the rest of the crowd erupted in cheers.

Kakashi slowly walked over to where his opponent was laying. "When did you cast the genjutsu?" Haku asked laying on his back with his eyes open.

"When our weapons clashed and we made eye contact." Kakashi said rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry, but there's something that I need to do here, otherwise I would've fought you fairly." He reached his hand down to help Haku back up.

"Then we'll have a rematch sometime." Haku said taking his hand.

Kuroto watched as the Uchiha helped his former opponent to his feet. "Hn." She said as a small smile formed on her face.

"You better not." Kasai said pointing at her older sister.

"Oh, butt out." Kuroto said walking away.

 **AN: Well that was day one of the World Ninja Tournament. I introduced rivals for our new generation of Uchiha, and set up Shikadai as a true competitor in the competition. With the secret about his family jutsu being passed into a Leaf ninja, and with Gaara's knowledge, things are going to get very interesting at the Tournament. And if you were wondering, the two people I showed at the end of the last chapter was not Zetsu. I'm also counting this as today's chapter, because I got writer's vomit and this all just poured out of me. As always thanks for reading and please give me reviews, they are my drug.**


	24. Chapter 24

Kakashi was sitting at the bar close by the arena when he heard someone sit next to him. "You're definitely too young to drink."

"Don't need to drink." Minato said chuckling.

"How's Sarada?" He asked glancing to the boy.

"She's going to be fine, your mom says that she just needs to rest." The blond said kicking his legs.

"So both of them are here." Kuroto said crossing her arms and looking at the two.

"There's no need to talk to them now." Kasai said turning away from the cousins.

Minato glared at the younger girl and grit his teeth. Without realizing it a spark of chakra escaped him getting the attention of the other three.

"Calm down blondie." Kasai said glancing at him. "If you're not careful your daddy is going to have to apologize to our mom."

"Don't threaten me." Minato said standing up and wincing from the sudden motion.

"Or what?" Kasai asked walking up to him. "I don't see you in this tournament."

"Enough." Kuroto said glaring at her sister.

"Why? He's just a coward." The blonde girl said licking her lips.

"He's injured." The elder sister said curtly. "That's why he's not competing."

Kasai took a step back and looked him up and down and saw how he was favoring one of his legs. "Sorry." The girl said taking a step back. "I thought you were a coward." She said looking away from him.

"I'm not." Minato growled out.

"If anything he's a hero to his village." Kuroto said taking a relaxed stance. "How'd it happen?"

"We were ambushed during a mission to Sand." Minato said as Kakashi turned around to be with his drink again. "I stopped someone from killing one of my teammates but he managed to overpower me and would've killed me if it weren't for one of my comrades."

"You should be proud." Kuroto said nodding to the boy. "At least one of your students is worthwhile, right Kakashi?"

"What makes you think I'm his sensei?" The Uchiha asked without turning around.

"Who else would the Hokage entrust his own son to?" She asked sitting in the chair next to him.

"You're showing me around." Kasai said to Minato.

"I'm what?" He asked as his arm was grabbed and he was pulled away.

Kakashi chuckled as he moved his drink around in the glass. "You did well out there today."

"I know." Kuroto said with a smirk. "But you, you won barely using any of your biju chakra."

"What are you talking about?" Kakashi asked glancing to the side at the admittedly attractive woman.

"You know, like what that brat just did." She said before signaling to the bar tender.

"He's an Uzumaki, he may have some extra abilities from Kurama, but it's not like he's Naruto Sensei."

"You don't know do you?" Kuroto asked looking at the black-haired man.

"Know what?" Kakashi asked as well.

"Well this tournament just became much less fun." Kuroto said as a glass of sake was put in front of her. "The only two jinchuuriki children in the Hidden Leaf don't know what they've got."

"I'll see you at the tournament." Kakashi said standing up and paying for his drink.

"Handsome and brooding, typical Uchiha." Kuroto said before taking a drink.

XXXX

"This village is lame." Kasai said walking beside Minato.

"And what makes Cloud so much better?" The blond asked managing to keep up.

"Just is." The girl said looking around when she saw something that caught her eye and walked towards it.

"Dango?" Minato asked sitting across from her at a table.

"What?" Kasai asked. "I've got a sweet tooth, don't you?"

Minato crossed his arms and puffed out his cheeks. "Maybe."

"Yeah." Kasai said to the boy as a waiter came up and she ordered for them.

"So how long ago was your injury?" Kasai asked leaning on the table.

"Just before the Kage summit." The blond said with a sad look on his face. "After it happened me and my comrade were stuck in the desert for a while before Kakashi Sensei came to pick us up."

"That Uchiha with a stick up his butt?" Kasai asked.

"Itachi?" Minato said cocking his head to the side. "Nah it wasn't him."

"Kid was blood thirsty out there." Kasai said as the sweets came to their table.

"What am I even doing here?" Minato asked looking around. "You're the one that hurt my friend today."

"It was a fight." Kasai defended. "She could've surrendered at any time."

"But you had the strength to win all along, and you just tortured her instead." Minato said slamming his hands on the table.

"Listen." Kasai said closing her eyes. "You should know better than anyone that even now this ninja world isn't perfect. Our parents set up this tournament, I entered and so did she. We both went in knowing what could happen, things can get much worse in the real world."

Minato crossed his arms as Kasai picked up her stick and took a bite of the dumpling. Before talking again. "Come on, eat up. I bet it's not every day that you get taken on a date."

"A date?" Minato shouted in shock before he covered his mouth and looked around.

"Yes a date." Kasai said with a smirk. "Mom said your dad was dim, but I was hoping you wouldn't be." She said before laughing.

"I'm not dim!" Minato shouted taking a bite of the food. "I'm training to be a surgeon." He said with a mouthful of food.

"Hopefully you'll swallow before you open anybody up." Kasai said handing the boy a napkin.

XXXX

At the Hokage mansion for the first time since the Fourth Great Ninja war, every Jinchuuriki was in the same room together.

"Yo, this tournament got soul!" Bee shouted standing on a table.

"Get off of there!" Yugito snapped, "If I don't let you do that what makes you think Nine would?"

Not missing a beat Naruto jumped up on the table with Bee. "Calm down Two, just leave Bee, and let me be me."

The blonde walked away rubbing her face. She made her way over to where Rin was sitting and talking with Fu.

"So how's the Waterfall?" Rin asked the younger girl.

"It's great now." Fu said happily. "I even have a family now, but Shibiku had to stay at home with the kids."

"That's great." Rin said patting the green haired girl on the back. "Well if it isn't the always beautiful Raikage." She said as Yugito sat with them. "Your girls did great today, the younger one was a bit much, but it's a tournament."

Yugito let out a long sigh, "I do apologize for her behavior, I know there is some connection between the young Uchiha and yourself."

Rin waved the girl off. "Don't even sweat it, there's no lasting damage and I bet Sarada is even up and about now. When he was a boy Naruto used to get beat up much worse just being Naruto."

In another corner of the room Sasuke was watching the interactions when he felt two familiar chakras next to him. "Sasuke." Came the first voice.

"Karin." He said back not looking at the red head.

"Thought you'd have more to say after all this time." She added crossing her arms.

"Leave him alone." Suigetsu said walking up next to her.

"Your daughter did well." Sasuke said making brief eye contact with Suigetsu. "If she had been facing any of the other genin she may have won the whole thing."

"I suppose." Suigetsu said cleaning his ear.

"Aren't you even going to talk to me?" Karin asked Sasuke.

"Nope." Sasuke said walking away.

"Ass." Karin said crossing her arms.

"That's been established." Suigetsu said walking out of the room.

XXXX

Itachi was in the middle of a training ground with his Sharingan activated. In front of him was a group of large trees that had charred holes inside of them. "It's not ready." He said to himself.

"Once it is, it will be quite the attack." Zetsu said growing out of the ground next to him.

"Hey." Itachi said with a small smile on his face.

"Hello friend." Zetsu said to the boy. "I saw your fight in the tournament."

"You did?" Itachi asked getting excited. "What do you think?"

"It was so short." Zetsu whined. "I was hoping to see you putting that Sharingan of yours to use. I mean I would've thought that you wanted to impress your father."

"I don't." Itachi snapped. "He wasn't even there to watch my fight, he left right before it was my turn."

"He must not love you." Zetsu said.

"I don't know." Itachi said falling onto his back and looking up at the sky. "He says he does, and now he is really careful to care about Sarada, all he wanted was to fight me."

"Sounds like he expects you to be the strong one." Zetsu said looking down at the boy. "Maybe he wants to see you become even more powerful than him and the Hokage."

Itachi laughed. "As if that's possible."

"Didn't the Hokage become stronger once?" Zetsu asked.

"Well yeah, but that was because he had the power of all the Tailed Beasts." Itachi said. "And it's not like they'll give their power to just anyone."

Zetsu hummed his agreement. "It's a shame that the world is as sad as it is."

"What?" Itachi asked raising an eyebrow at the plant man.

"I mean we live in a world where parents will abandon their children just because." Zetsu mused. "What if there was a way to make everyone in this world happy?"

"And how would I do that?" Itachi asked sitting up.

A wicked grin grew over Zetsu's face.


	25. Chapter 25

"Welcome to day two of the Ninja World Tournament!" Kiba shouted from the center of the ring. "Today we have the second rounds, the rules are largely staying the same, except now we have one twist." He said with a glint in his eyes. "The fighters are not allowed to watch the fights they aren't in."

"Who came up with this rule?" Naruto asked looking at his fellow kage.

"I did." Utakata said raising his hand. "With someone like Kakashi Uchiha, and Hinata Hyuga in the tournament they can learn how everyone else fights better."

"It evens the field against the dojutsu users." Gaara said with his eyes closed. "I agree with Utakata, especially against the Sharingan that can copy jutsus."

"They do have a point." Yugito said resting her chin on her fists.

"We don't want any hostility brewing between competitors outside of the ring." Roshi said with a big smile. Besides once in the ring they can use their eyes as much as they want."

Naruto smirked as he watched the fighters all be escorted inside of the arena's hallways. "Makes sense." He said glancing over to his family in the stands.

"Why are they making everyone go inside?" Sarada asked her father.

"Because of the Sharingan and the Byakugan." Sasuke said crossing his arms.

"Who do you think is going to fight first?" Minato asked.

"They're probably going to have the genin fight first again." Sakura said. "To build up to the Jonin fights."

"Who do you think is going to win the genin fights?" Minato asked looking at Sarada who was staring down at the last of the fighters being escorted where she saw Kasai.

"She is." Sarada said calmly. "Itachi may be strong, but he's not fast enough to keep up with her and his Sharingan isn't evolved enough."

"What about Shikadai?" The blond asked.

"Same problem." Sarada said shaking her head. "He may have the Kazekage's abilities, but without the One Tail he has to control all of the sand himself."

Sasuke glanced over at his daughter when he felt Sakura nudge his arm. "She's got quite the mind."

"Yes she does." Sasuke said with a small grin. "Doesn't take after me or her mother though."

"If Hinata heard you say that she'd kick your ass." Sakura said chuckling and crossing her arms. "After yesterday I can't imagine her losing to anyone easily."

"You could beat her." Sarada said having overheard the conversation.

"Really?" Minato asked.

"Since you're like those girls from Cloud, closing a chakra point won't stop you." She said as she watched the first competitors walk out onto the field.

Sasuke looked over at Minato who was becoming engrossed in the fight below.

Itachi was walking to the center of the ring where Shikadai stood across from him.

"Go Itachi!" Minato shouted from his seat.

"You can do it!" Sarada chimed in.

"You've got quite the fan club." Shikadai said lazily.

"Doesn't matter to me." Itachi said through gritted teeth as he saw his father passively watching.

"You don't know what you've got." Shikadai said taking a fighting stance as he pulled out a single hand fan.

Itachi closed his eyes before opening them again revealing his Sharingan, "With these eyes wind won't help you."

Shikadai took a deep breath as he focused wind chakra into the fan and started to tug on the sand around him with the other. "I figured this one out by researching one of the seven ninja swordsman."

Itachi's eyes narrowed, he didn't know anything about the swordsman besides what he'd heard from his father and uncle. "Doesn't matter." He said charging forward.

"Hidden Sand Jutsu!" Shikadai shouted swinging his arms around the area as sand covered the air around the battlefield.

"Told you your eyes wouldn't help you." Shikadai said through the sand to Itachi who was covering his eyes and trying to sense his opponent.

"Fight me for real!" Itachi screamed doing a fire jutsu and hitting nothing.

"Not even the Byakugan could find me in here." Shikadai said from somewhere in the sand. "There are only two people I know of who could find me in here." He said standing right behind Itachi. "And you're not one of them." He said as he hurled a mound of sand into Itachi's back tossing him across the field into the wall where he stuck.

Naruto watched from the Kage box using just a bit of Kurama's chakra to observe the fight. "What's this?" Roshi asked. "We can't see who's winning."

"Shikadai is." Naruto said calmly. "He's using his environment and Itachi's anger to his advantage."

"Anger?" Utakata asked.

"The amount of anger coming off him is astounding." Naruto said in shock. "It's almost murderous."

"Should we stop the fight?" Gaara asked. "No one wants to see a child die."

"Let them fight." Yugito said.

"Raikage you can't be serious." Roshi asked. "If one of them dies than we'll have to call off the tournament and all of this will be for nothing."

"They both have something to prove." She said leaning forward. "And personally I want to see what that is."

"Hokage?" Utakata asked.

"I agree with Yugito, for now." Naruto said focusing his chakra.

"Fight me for real!" Itachi screamed when he saw Shikadai walking through the sand.

"I am." He said watching the Uchiha. "Forfeit."

"Never." Itachi said as with his free hand he performed a hand sign and burned the sand that was on him until it turned to glass. He threw his arms together shattering the glass and landing on the ground.

"You can't go on like this." Shikadai said putting his hands together as a shadow stretched off his body before it grabbed onto the Uchiha. "Shadow Possession complete." Shikadai said standing up straight again as Itachi did the same. "There's nothing you can do now."

Itachi was trying to fight against the restraints on every part of his body but found that he couldn't move an inch.

"Is Shikadai about to win?" Sarada asked.

"No." Minato said with a straight face. "Give him a second."

"Give up." Shikadai insisted. "You aren't going to be able to break out of those restraints."

"Never!" Itachi spat.

"Fine." Shikadai said before taking a breath and raising his hands in the air. "I give up." Right after he said it the sand in the air fell to the ground.

"You what?" Itachi asked feeling the jutsu release his body.

"I give up." Shikadai clarified. "I only entered this thing to figure something out about you, and I got my answer." Shikadai said walking away.

"Don't you walk away from me you bastard!" Itachi screamed as he started to form hand signs but found his hands were being held by someone. He looked up to see his father's Sharingan staring into his own.

"This is not the place." Sasuke said coldly. "You've already won, now go."

Itachi yanked his hands away staring up at his father. "Fine." He said turning around quickly.

Sasuke looked up and made brief eye contact with Naruto before he jumped back into the seats.

"I'm going to have to apologize for that." Sasuke said sitting back down.

Minato continued to stare at Itachi who was walking away. "What happened to him?" He asked looking down.

"I don't know." Sarada said.

"No," Minato said shaking his head. "It's his chakra, there' something different about it."

"What?" Sakura asked looking past Sasuke.

"I don't know." Minato said cocking his head. "It's almost like there's a little piece of dad in his chakra."

"Why would he do that?" Rin asked the boy.

"I don't think dad knows." Minato said. "The chakra is slightly different, but I don't know why."

Sasuke watched silently as the next two genin took their places.

Temari was covering her face in shame as her husband started to laugh at the irony. "Shut up it's not funny!" She snapped at him. "There's no way he was out of chakra."

"He accomplished what he wanted to." Shikamaru said wiping the tear from his eye.

"Which was?" Temari asked with a bit of venom in her voice.

"No idea." Shikamaru replied.

"Hello Kasai Nii, my name is Metal Lee!" The boy said giving her a thumbs up. "I look forward to testing my youth against someone as esteemed as yourself."

"What?" Kasai asked looking at him funny before looking towards Kiba.

"Don't even worry about it." Kiba said waving her off. "Shinobi combat, begin!" He shouted jumping away from the two.

"I'm going to make this short." Kasai said yawning. "Mom was mad at me for playing around too much yesterday." She leapt into the air and ended up behind the taijutsu user and brought her leg up to strike the boy when she felt herself strike something hard.

She looked and saw the bowl cut wearing boy had already turned around and made eye contact with her, blocking her kick with his forearm.

"Go Metal!" Tenten screamed from the stands.

"Youth!" Lee and Guy screamed standing on their seats.

Up in the Kage booth Roshi looked over to Naruto. "You've got quite the rowdy ninjas."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "You don't know the half of it."

"What are you talking about?" Yugito asked. "He's one of the rowdy ninjas."

Back in the stadium Kasai swung her other leg but Metal jumped away from the girl allowing her to fall to the ground. "You're pretty fast kid." She said standing up straight.

"I have decided." Metal said pointing in the air.

"Decided what?" Kasai asked cocking an eyebrow.

Metal pointed his finger at the girl. "I shall make the beautiful Ms. Nii my girlfriend!"

"Like hell!" Kasai screamed back. "With the way you dress I'm surprised you aren't the laughing stock of your village."

"Your words cut deep." Metal said resting his hand on his chest. "Instead I shall prove to you that I am a ninja worth your affection."

"Stop it!" Kasai shouted. "This is a fight, so let's fight!" She shouted as she put her hands together for a hand sign.

Yugito covered her face in shame as Naruto and Roshi were laughing hysterically at what was happening. "I swear I will burn you all." She said rubbing her face.

"But he loves her!" Naruto said holding his stomach and laughing.

Tenten was watching the fight with a similar look on her face. "He's your son all right." She said patting Lee on the shoulder.

Lee was watching with tears of pride in his eyes. "Gai Sensei, he's the model of youth!" He shouted hugging his sensei.

"He truly is Lee!" Gai shouted with him.

Kasai held her hands in the tiger sign before exhaling multiple blue fireballs at the taijutsu Genin.

Metal jumped around dodging each attack before they could touch him. "My heart burns for you, just as your jutsus burn away those stopping our love!" Metal shouted landing on the side of the stadium and sticking to the wall.

"Shut up!" Kasai screamed charging forward and slamming her fist into the wall where Metal had just been. Her eyes widened when she realized that he was right next to her already swinging his leg and it made contact with her chest hurling her across the ring.

"I am sorry my love!" Metal proclaimed. "But I must prove my worth to you, I shall win this entire tournament or I will walk around the entire village on my hands for three days!"

Kasai hesitated for a moment, "That just gives me more reason to beat you."

"Feel the youthful power of love!" Metal screamed charging forward faster than any untrained eye could see.

Kasai ducked under his strike, "I might have to use it early." She said to herself dodging another punch.

"Metal!" Lee shouted from the stands. "Unlock your gates!"

"What?" Sasuke asked looking over to where Lee was standing. "He must be insane!"

"Lee." Naruto grumbled from his place in the stands.

"Yes father!" Metal screamed jumping away from Kasai before he started to scream. "Open, Gate of Opening!" He screamed as he felt the limiter on his brain give way.

"Whoa." Minato said feeling the surge in chakra. "He has even more chakra than I do now."

"Open Gate of Healing!" Metal screamed, before putting his arms back together. "Open Gate of Life!" He screamed as his skin turned red and the air around him started to move.

Sasuke let out a deep breath. "Might as well get the doctors ready." He said.

"He's going to lose." Sarada said with her Byakugan active. "The chakra she has is still far beyond his, even now."

"I know." Minato said quietly. "When me and her were at the dango shop her chakra levels were insane."

"The what?" Sakura asked. "Just the two of you?"

"Stay on topic." Sasuke said when he saw Metal charge forward.

He moved faster than he did before and caught Kasai in the chin launching her into the air. Metal jumped after her and spun in midair driving his leg into her stomach forcing her back to the ground.

She landed in the center of the ring as a cloud of dust formed around her. Metal landed on the ground his skin still red as the chakra around him moved. "Gotta hold it." He said to himself.

"Here we go." Minato said narrowing his eyes.

Out of the dust a red chakra arm extended out and grabbed Metal before throwing him into the wall and shrinking back into the dust cloud. "You actually hit me pretty hard." Kasai said climbing out of the crater surrounded by a chakra shroud with a single tail swinging behind her. "Even broke a few ribs with that last kick."

Metal pulled himself out of the crater in the wall and stood across from the chakra beast in front of him. "Close." He said as his skin started to return to normal and he fell to the ground.

"That's all?" Kasai asked as the red chakra around her receded back into her body.

"Winner, Kasai Nii!" Kiba shouted. "We need a medic!" He shouted again as a medical team came out to pick up Metal's unconscious body.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the girl. "That was just like when me and Naruto fought."

"At the Valley of the End?" Sakura asked.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted looking up to the Kage box.

Naruto slammed his fist down on the table. "Why didn't you tell us about this?" He asked the Raikage.

"Because they're my ninjas, and my children." Yugito snapped. "The chakra is completely theirs, so there's no risk of them losing control. Your Uchiha however is the most reckless person in this whole tournament!"

"Enough!" Gaara snapped standing up. "We cannot fight." He said calming down. "Yugito should've told us about her daughter's power, but it is also understandable how she would be worried. She may know us, but she doesn't know the people of our villages." He looked to Naruto, "Wouldn't you do the same for Minato, didn't Lord Sixth do the same for you?"

Naruto took a breath. "I'm sorry for shouting Yugito."

"Good." The Raikage said. "Now that the cat's out of the bag there's no reason to keep it a secret. More biju chakra goes into the children than we thought."

Naruto took a deep breath as he sat down again. "After this is over I feel we should have a talk with Rin about what this means for Kakashi."

"Agreed." Yugito said turning to watch the announcement of the Chunin rounds.


	26. Chapter 26

Kiba cleared his throat before continuing to talk, "Now I'd like to begin round two of our Jonin matches!"

The crowd cheered in response. "Yesterday we saw both of these women utterly demolish their opponents. One for her nearly unmatched speed in combat, mixed with her raw power. The other for her grace and remarkable skill that has made her a threat for her enemies for years."

The crowd continued to cheer as Sasuke smirked already aware of who was going to fight in this round. But the smirk disappeared when he realized that if Sarada was right Hinata would lose.

"Allow me to introduce once again, Kuroto Nii of the Hidden Cloud!" Kiba shouted as the crowd cheered for the Cloud ninja that came out calmly until she was in the center of the ring.

"And from the Village Hidden in the Leaves, my own former comrade let me introduce to you, Hinata Uchiha!" He screamed in a very Lee like way that seemed to get the crowd pumped as they stood to their feet cheering for the matchup.

Hinata stared ahead at her opponent. "It was your sister who hurt my daughter like that?"

Kuroto nodded her head.

"I won't hold that against you." Hinata said taking her Hyuga stance and activating her Byakugan.

"It's not going to matter." Kuroto said as a grin spread on her face. "You saw what she did to your daughter, what makes you think you'll do any better?"

Hinata grit her teeth in frustration. "I'm not going to let you play mind games with me."

"Fine." Kuroto said rolling her neck. "This fight shouldn't take that long anyway." She said with a yawn

When she opened her eyes Hinata was already in front of her with her Byakugan active. "Six Trigrams 128 Palms!" Hinata screamed as her hands started to move faster than even Sasuke's Sharingan could follow. She then pulled her arm back again as a purple chakra lion grew over her hand. "Night Lion!" She screamed as her fist struck Kuroto and the chakra continued to push her across the arena into the wall across from her.

Hinata let out a breath as the chakra on her hand disappeared. "That's enough Kiba." She said not looking away from her opponent in the wall. "No one can fight with 128 chakra points blocked."

Kiba was about to announce Hinata as the winner when he notice Kuroto pulling herself out of the rubble. "You're right." She said standing up straight. "But what if they weren't blocked?" She asked as she made eye contact with Hinata.

With a shout Kuroto forced all of her chakra points to open once again. "Can those eyes of yours see what's inside of me?"

Hinata saw the mass of chakra that Kuroto was talking about. But it was still nothing compared to the chakra she had seen within Naruto or Rin. "Are you just going to show off that chakra or are you going to use it?"

"Fine." Kuroto said with a smirk as her eyes changed color, her right eye turned yellow, while the left turned a shade of turquoise. "You asked for this." She said as she charged in front of Hinata.

Hinata readied herself for a charge attack but her eyes widened when she realized that Kuroto had leapt over her and was already striking at her back. Hinata ducked under the punch and punched the Cloud ninja in the face. "You can't attack me from the back." She said backing away from her opponent.

"Lucky hit." Kuroto said wiping the blood off her lip. "You're one of very few people who have hit me when I'm like this."

"I've beaten a Sage before." Hinata spat. "Beating another Biju brat won't be that hard." Chakra lions grew over Hinata's hands again as she took her stance.

Kuroto turned her neck to the side and popped it. "Guess I should start trying now, huh?"

"What?" Hinata asked but her opponent was already in front of her uppercutting Hinata into the air.

"I think I'll borrow that trick I saw him use yesterday." Kuroto said jumping into the air after Hinata and her arm became coated in blue and black flames. "Burn!" Kuroto whispered as her flame coated fist slammed into Hinata's back propelling her into the ground leaving a crater.

Kuroto rubbed the back of her neck. "Guess I still don't know my own strength." She chuckled walking over to the crater Hinata was in. "You ok?" She asked bending over to look inside but found her shirt was grabbed by an enraged and bleeding Hinata.

"You don't know mine." She whispered to the girl before she pulled her into the crater with her. Hinata pinned Kuroto to the ground and started to beat the Cloud ninja into the dirt. "Don't you disrespect me, or my family!" She shouted as her hands were covered in chakra again as she bashed both fists onto Kuroto's face.

"Calm down Hinata." Sasuke whispered from his seat.

Naruto watched from the Kage booth when he glanced over and saw a bead of sweat of Yugito's cheek. "We could call the match if you want."

"No." Yugito said quickly. "She got herself into this, she can get herself out. She's a Jonin of Cloud."

Hinata was about to slam her fist down again when she felt it get caught. "That's enough." Kuroto said as red chakra bubbled over her body.

Hinata's eyes widened for a brief moment before her hand was thrown away and Kuroto kicked the rest of Hinata away.

The blonde chased after her punching Hinata as she continued to fly. "I win!" Kuroto said as her fist slammed into Hinata once again as Hinata flew clear across the arena and slamming her into the wall. The blonde held her fist with her other hand as she was breathing heavy and she watched Hinata fall to the ground motionless.

Kiba walked over to Hinata. "Get me a medic!" He screamed.

Sakura was in the ring in an instant checking for any fatal injuries. After a moment she let out a breath. "She's going to be fine, not a single fatal blow." She said quietly when she turned to look the blonde Cloud ninja.

"Good." Kuroto said turning around and walking away. "That means I win."

Sasuke jumped down into the ring as well as they brought Hinata away on a stretcher. And Sakura took her seat back in the stands.

"Mom's going to be fine?" Sarada asked.

"Yeah." Rin said shocked. "Kuroto didn't hit a single vital organ."

"That's ridiculous." Rin said in shock looking down. "She has the power of a Biju and she still has that much control. As far as I know Naruto's the only one in complete control when he uses Kurama's chakra."

"You don't have control with Isobu?" Sakura asked.

"Not fully." Rin said. "Whenever I try to use it I get angry and it becomes harder to control my actions, unless I give him complete control."

Kiba let out a long breath in the ring again and after a few more matches that were no where near as exciting he announced the final fight of the day.

"Today we have two Jonin from the Village Hidden in the Leaves. We have the veteran Asuma Sarutobi, head of the Sarutobi clan, renowned for his abilities at close range and for his skill with wind chakra blades."

Asuma stood in the center of the ring putting out a cigarette under his shoe as Kurenai and Mirai rubbed their faces at his habit.

Kiba continued. "And we also have the golden boy of the Hidden Leaf, the one and only Kakashi Uchiha!"

The two Jonin stood across from one another, Asuma looking bored and Kakashi like a hardened warrior.

Kiba backed away feeling the killing intent coming off both fighters. "Shinobi combat begin!" He shouted as he lowered his hand and jumped away.

Asuma let out a breath. "Listen kid, let's make this quick, I have plans with the family that I'd like to get to now."

Kakashi said nothing as he pulled out a sealing scroll. Asuma's eyes widened as he watched Kakashi reveal the contents. "Was wondering if I'd ever see that thing again." He said putting another cigarette in his mouth but not lighting it.

Kakashi picked up the Gunbai, Uchiha war fan and held it over his head. "I am Kakashi Uchiha, the head of the Uchiha clan. Son of Obito Uchiha the clan head before me, direct descendent of Madara Uchiha cofounder of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, and I will prove to you just what I'm made of."

Asuma smirked but hid it quickly. "I don't know kid." He said shrugging his shoulders. "I mean you may look like your old man, but that doesn't mean your anything like him." Asuma said lighting his cigarette.

Kakashi swiped the Gunbai in the air causing a rush of wind to put out the cigarette in Asuma's mouth. "We fight as clan heads." Kakashi said pointing the massive fan at his opponent before strapping it to his back.

"Fine." Asuma said spitting out the cigarette and pulling out his trench knives. "I won't hold back then."

"Neither will I." Kakashi said activating his Sharingan.

The two rushed at one another, luckily the Sharingan could see that Asuma was changing the length of his chakra blades as he swung them, but with his most recent teacher he was fast enough to dodge the attacks.

Kakashi ducked under one of the knives and brought his own kunai up to block the next blade that Asuma sliced through with ease.

Kakashi backed away breathing heavily as Asuma took his stance across from him. "Your father would've won by now kid." Asuma shouted before whispering. "Guess you aren't good enough for my daughter."

Kakashi's eyes widened before he charged ahead at Asuma, he stopped just out of the Sarutobi's reach and formed hand signs faster than anyone watching could follow. "Water bullet!" He shouted before spitting out a single shot of water that Asuma was about to slice away.

Kakashi looked around, he had a plan in motion for this fight but he needed Asuma to do his part. "Is wind chakra all you've got?" He asked with a smirk.

"I'll show you what I got." Asuma said leaping into the air as a cloud of ash filled the arena. "Burning ash!" He shouted before clenching his teeth and the ash in the arena began to combust and explode.

"No." Mirai said as she felt her mother pull her into a hug.

"You shouldn't get over confident kid." Asuma said landing on the ground.

The dust cleared away and he looked at the water bubble that Kakashi had formed around himself. "Glad this worked." He said with a grin.

"Smart." Asuma said. "But it wasn't enough to get me to blow all my chakra."

"That's not what I was doing." Kakashi said as the water bubble fell to the ground and he walked forward before pointing to the sky.

Asuma looked up at the looming storm clouds. "You aren't a lightning user." Asuma said crossing his arms. "You can't use Sasuke's Kirin to win."

"I may not be lightning." Kakashi said doing a series of handsigns. "But I'm phenomenal with fire and water." He looked up to the sky. "Fire Style: Fire Dragon Jutsu!" He screamed as a massive fire dragon flew out of his mouth and into the sky.

Rin watched on. "No way." She said.

"What's he doing?" Sarada asked.

"Isobu has this ability to make it rain, and then his power is much stronger with all the water around him." Rin said looking in shock and awe. "Kakashi is going to make it rain."

Minato was watching intently as he felt the chakra inside of Kakashi starting to stir and move.

Naruto watched in shock. "I never would've thought of that." He said in amazement.

"Thought of what?" Roshi asked confused.

Utakata saw what was happening. "Kakashi is bringing his element to him."

Asuma felt the first rain drop hit the top of his head. "Cool trick I guess." He said before taking his normal stance.

Kakashi grinned as the rain started to fall harder and faster until it was a full storm.

Asuma charged Kakashi as the Uchiha started a seal of hand signs dodging every strike that was made while he continued to weave signs.

Finally Kakashi had finished when he formed the last sign. "Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!" He screamed but nothing happened.

"Sorry kid." Asuma said walking forward. "But I guess you're out of chakra."

"Nope." Kakashi said with a smirk. "I needed more water."

"What?" Asuma asked before he heard a roar coming from above.

The storm clouds started to twist and turn into the shape of a dragon before it started to fall into the ring.

Kakashi jumped back pulling the Gunbai out and holding it low to the ground.

Asuma covered his face as the enormous water dragon slammed into him and the entire arena became a swirling pool of water.

Kakashi used the power of the Gunbai to surf over the swirling water as he continued to make hand signs. "Water Style: Giant Vortex Jutsu!" He shouted as the water started to spin faster with Asuma in the center spinning uncontrollably.

Kakashi continued to spin around the arena as it was drained out into the rest of the village and the water level receded back to normal and he stood on the ground again with the Gunbai on his back.

He let out a long breath from the exhaustion when he saw Asuma standing back up. "How are you not unconscious?" He shouted at the man.

"Experience." Asuma grunted standing up straight still holding his trench knives. "If that's the last trick that you've got, I'm just going to finish this." He pumped more chakra into the knives as they extended even farther till they were the length of swords.

Kakashi groaned. "I didn't want to use this until the finals." He said with a long breath.

He closed his eyes for a moment. "Gate of Opening!" He shouted. "Gate of Healing!" He continued. "Gate of Pain!" He screamed as his skin started to turn red.

"I don't have a lot of time to beat you." Kakashi said his Sharingan staring at Asuma. "So I'm going to make every second count!" He shouted as he moved in the blink of an eye in front of Asuma pulling his fist back to punch.

XXXX

 _"Hello?" Kakashi asked looking around. "Lord Hokage told me to be here bright and early." He said looking around the training ground._

 _"Youth!" He heard shouted from above him before landing on the ground._

 _"Gai?" Kakashi asked looking at the Blue Beast giving him a thumbs up._

 _"The one and only." Gai said proudly. "So Naruto tells me that you want to be even better than you are now so that you can surpass even the great Sixth Hokage?"_

 _"Yes." Kakashi said back ignoring the weird speech patterns that he had gotten used to when Bai was still alive._

 _"Well than, I'm going to have to accelerate your training." Gai said loudly. "With Lee and Bai I had years to train their bodies into the perfect embodiment of youth."_

 _Kakashi looked away from the man for a moment. "Maybe this was a bad idea." Kakashi said turning around. "I'm sorry for bothering you."_

 _"Kakashi." Gai said quietly as the Uchiha stopped walking. "You have to stop blaming yourself for what happened. My son made his decision, and I've accepted it, in fact I'm proud of it."_

 _Kakashi's fists were balled up as he listened to Gai talk._

 _"He died the same way my father did." Gai said sounding sad for a moment. "Opening the Eight Gate is something that is to be respected and admired. I don't teach anyone this technique without them knowing the cost."_

 _He looked ahead at the back of Kakashi's back. "Just like your father, and mine before him, Bai understood that sometimes it takes your own life to protect those you love."_

 _Kakashi didn't turn around but tears were openly falling from his eyes as he grit his teeth and balled his fists so tight they started to bleed. "But why me?" He asked trying to hide his tears._

 _"Because you were his best friends." Gai said with a smile. "I'm glad he had someone like that in his life."_

 _"Gai Sensei!" Kakashi turned around not hiding the tears in his eyes, but revealing the determination behind them. "Teach me how to make my best friend proud."_

 _XXXX_

Kakashi pulled his fist back as he felt the tendons in his leg and arm start to tear, he threw the fist forward with everything that he had.

"I give up." Asuma said as the fist was an inch from his jaw.

"You what?" Kakashi asked.

"I said I give up." Asuma said putting the knives away. "You owe me a pack of cigarettes." He said pulling out the soaked package. "I guess there could be worse guys for my daughter to be with." He said turning around and walking away.

"What?" Kakashi asked as the red from the gates faded but his cheeks kept a red shine.

"Treat her right." Asuma said without turning around. "Next time I'll make sure not to let you try and drown me."

"And the winner by forfeit is Kakashi Uchiha!" Kiba screamed walking down the wall back into the arena.

"Holy shit." Yugito said from the Kage booth.

"I taught him everything he knows." Naruto said leaning back. "Well except the Gates."

"You know what that means?" Gaara asked.

"What?" Roshi asked the Kazekage.

"Kakashi is going to face Kuroto tomorrow." He said looking at his fellow Kage.

Naruto and Yugito both got quiet for a moment. "I guess so." The Hokage said scratching the back of his neck.

"This will be fun." Yugito said smiling.


	27. Chapter 27

Sakura was sitting in the corner of the Hokage mansion as the second night of celebration was going on. All the remaining fighters were invited along with all the Jinchuuriki. She looked around the room and saw Naruto laughing with Roshi about something, she looked farther around and she saw one of the Nii sisters, Kuroto.

Her curiosity getting the better of her she stood up and walked next to the quiet blonde. "Having fun?" She asked smiling at the woman.

"Not particularly." Kuroto said quietly.

"I'm Sakura." She said happily.

"I know who you are." Kuroto said calmly. "You are arguably the greatest medical ninja in the world, and wife of the Hokage. You probably don't have to introduce yourself as much as you think."

"I guess so." Sakura said laughing at the cold woman.

"Do you know when Kakashi Uchiha will be arriving?" Kuroto asked coldly.

Sakura chuckled. "He said he was going to be coming late."

"Tch." Kuroto grumbled.

Sakura leaned closer to the Cloud ninja and nudged her gently. "Do you have a crush?"

"No." Kuroto snapped quickly. "He's just one of the few people in this village I find interesting."

"Ok." Sakura laughed putting her hand on the blonde's back.

Needing a way to change the subject Kuroto said the only thing she could think of. "Where are my sister and your son?" She asked looking around the room.

Pulled from her teasing Sakura looked around the room. "I'm not sure." She said standing up. "I hope he's ok."

"I'm sure my sister will make sure nothing happens to your son." Kuroto said calmly.

"He has an injury and I'm worried that he's going to push himself." Sakura said looking around.

"If it's bothering you that much I will go out and find them." Kuroto said standing up and heading for the door. "If my mother asks please tell her I will return."

"Ok." Sakura said confused as she watched the tall blonde woman sneak out of the mansion.

"Sakura!" Naruto shouted from across the room. "Come here and look at this!" He shouted pointing at Utakata who was playing his pipe.

XXXX

Across the room Itachi was leaning against a wall when he noticed someone was leaning with him. "You should try and interact with others." Sasuke said with his eyes closed.

"Don't see why." Itachi said. "Tomorrow the Cloud is going to hate me for beating their Genin."

"Don't be too sure." Sasuke said with a smirk. "You can't underestimate her."

"Why not?" Itachi asked looking up at his father. "With my Sharingan I can easily trap her chakra away and leave her with just her regular abilities."

"We can't put too much faith in our Sharingan." Sasuke said putting his hand on Itachi's shoulder who immediately shrugged it off. "Even it has its limits."

"Not yours." Itachi grumbled.

"Even mine." Sasuke whispered. "It's important you don't forget that it's not your only tool in combat."

"Don't worry about me." Itachi snapped. "I have something planned for that Cloud bitch tomorrow."

"Don't say shit." Sasuke said calmly looking at the party in the room. "We aren't that different you know?" Sasuke asked but Itachi had already left. He looked at the ground when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Just give him time." Rin said smiling at the man in front of her.

"He's just like I was, and that scares me." Sasuke said as Rin leaned on the wall beside him.

"No he's not." Rin said with hard eyes looking ahead.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked looking at his sister.

"You had a goal to achieve and that's what led you down the path it did." She said glancing at him. "But Itachi doesn't have a goal. At first I thought it was to catch your attention, but even now that you're trying he isn't."

"So you're saying I failed him?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes I am." Rin said. Sasuke's head snapped to look at her a mixture of shock and horror on his face. "You failed him so far, but now you're here. And now you can be there for him, I can see that you're trying and it's only a matter of time before he does too."

"Thanks." Sasuke said leaning back on the wall. "I wonder how Naruto does it?" He asked glancing at the blond who was dancing with Sakura and the rest of the attendees.

"Honestly," Rin started. "I don't know how he does it the same way I don't know how Obito did it."

Sasuke smirked with the thought of his brother in his mind. "You give him too much credit, he got us into almost as much trouble as we found on our own."

"And look at the two of you now." Rin said smiling. "Naruto is a beloved Hokage with a family of his own. And you are his second in command and spy master, jobs formally held by Lord Jiraiya."

Sasuke grinned looking at the ground. "Don't try to make it sound like me and him are equals anymore." He said before looking up at the Hokage again. "He's always had a light that I never did. Ever since he battle Orochimaru things changed. He came out stronger and was a hero to the world. After it happened I became obsessed with a long dead woman and may have lost my family because of it."

Rin gently punched his shoulder. "Don't talk like that." She said before sticking a finger in his face. "We all know you did that for me and Naruto. Eventually even Itachi will see it that way."

"Thanks." Sasuke said closing his eyes again.

"Anytime." Rin said leaning on the man that now stood a head taller than her.

XXXX

"Stop pulling." Minato complained to Kasai in front of him. "Your mom and my dad are going to be mad if we aren't at the party."

"Who cares." Kasai said with a shrug. "I still want to see the rest of the village."

"Is there anywhere specific you want to go?" Minato asked as Kasai stopped pulling on him.

The girl thought about it for a moment before she turned around. "There!" She shouted pointing at the Hokage monument.

"Why?" Minato asked cocking his head to the side.

"Why wouldn't you want to go up there?" The blonde asked bouncing on her heels. "Your father and your grandfather are both up there."

Minato watched her go up and down. "You know that you're super weird, right?" He asked.

"Am not." The girl said as she stopped bouncing and stuck her tongue out at the boy.

"Am too!" Minato shouted. "When you're in the arena you're this tough bad ass, but now you're acting all goofy."

"Is it so weird for a girl to act different when she's on a date?" Kasai asked standing right in front of Minato and leaning close to his face.

"Wah!" Minato shouted as he fell back on the ground. "Don't scare me like that!"

Kasai giggled before she saw him struggling to stand up on his own. "Here let me help." She said grabbing his arm.

"I don't need help." Minato said quickly.

"No you don't." Kasai said still helping him up. "But it's always nice to have the help." She said smiling at him. "So to the monument?" She asked pointing at the Hokage faces.

"Sure." Minato said realizing that he was staring and his jaw was hanging open. "Let's go." He said after shaking his head quickly.

"Yay!" Kasai cheered leading him ahead again.

XXXX

Above them on the rooftops Sarada had seen what was happening and she felt the tug on her chest as tears started to fill her eyes. She turned around quickly and started to run the other way until she was in the middle of the park.

She leaned on a tree and slid until she was sitting on the ground as she continued to cry.

"Why are you crying?" Came the voice beside her.

Sarada jumped when she saw the half black half white body of Zetsu again. "Nothing." She said as she continued to shake looking at him.

"I heard you lost in the first round." Zetsu said with a gruff voice. "And your brother is still competing."

"I tried." Sarada stammered out as she found her limbs wouldn't move.

"Trying isn't good enough apparently." Zetsu said as he started to reach an arm out. "You don't deserve to have the same eyes as mother."

"No!" Sarada screamed as she ran away from the forest as fast as she could, tears still pouring from her eyes as she made a beeline for the Hokage Mansion where she knew her father would still be.

XXXX

Kasai and Minato finally made it to the top of the Hokage monument and were sitting on the head of Minato Namikaze. "So you were named after this guy?" Kasai asked knocking on the solid stone.

"Yeah." Minato said nodding. "Dad didn't know him though."

"October 10th." Kasai said. When she saw the confused face on her date she giggled. "Everyone knows about what happened October 10th silly." She said shoving him gently.

"Oh." Minato said crossing his legs and putting his feet together.

"So if you aren't a ninja anymore what do you do now?" Kasai asked laying back and looking at the stars.

"My mom and Aunt Rin are teaching me to be a surgeon." Minato said proudly. "I had another teacher, but I'm not going to him anymore."

"Why not?" Kasai asked sitting up and looking at her fellow blond.

"Because he's a bad person." Minato said quietly. "He hurt people that I care about and I don't want anything to do with him anymore."

"Oh." Kasai said as she looked out to the rest of the village. "It's so peaceful up here."

"Kasai." Minato said.

"Yeah?" She asked.

"Tomorrow in the match…" He said pulling his knees to his chest and tucking his head down. "Try not to hurt Itachi too bad. He may act tough but I can tell that something is bothering him."

Kasai leaned on Minato causing the both of them to blush. "I can't make that promise." She said quietly. "You know what it's like when you get into a fight." She said as she gently touched his bad leg. "Things can get out of hand very fast."

"I know." Minato said nodding his head. "But try not to let what he says get into your head."

He perked up a moment later. "Could you teach me how you do that thing with chakra?" He asked smiling at the girl. "It makes you and your sister so strong, maybe it could let me move around better."

Kasai smiled at the boy before she noticed he wasn't looking at her anymore. "What is it?" She asked.

"Kasai!" Kuroto shouted landing in front of them. "You know mother wouldn't want you to leave the party."

"Ah!" Kasai shouted but Minato didn't flinch.

The older Nii looked at Minato and saw how close the two had been. "Am I interrupting something?" She asked narrowing her eyes at the genin.

"No!" Kasai shouted before standing up and calming down. "Minato was just being kind enough to show me around the village." She said before turning to help the boy up. "The two of us will return to the party at once."

"Good." Kuroto said. "Minato Uzumaki." She started.

"Yeah?" He asked the older woman.

"Have you seen your sensei around?" She asked.

XXXX

Kakashi was standing in the middle of a training field. "I've almost got it." He said to himself.

"Hey." Mirai said walking through the trees.

"Hey." Kakashi said suddenly aware that he wasn't a shirt. "How's your dad?"

Mirai smiled as she walked closer to her friend. "He's fine, the only thing you hurt was his pride."

"Good." Kakashi said chuckling.

"When did you learn how to do that?" She asked.

"Do what?" Kakashi asked feeling the awkwardness fade away.

"Open the gates, just like Bai did." Mirai said quietly taking another step closer.

"I asked Might Gai to train me." Kakashi said looking around for his shirt.

"Oh." Mirai said still getting closer to the oblivious Uchiha.

"Have you seen my shirt?" He asked looking around the field.

"No." Mirai said looking at his chest. She had seen him without a shirt before but now it was like he was a completely different person the way he carried himself. All the self doubt he seemed to have was gone and all that was left was the self assured man that she loved.

Wait loved? She thought to herself when she realized she was standing inches from him.

"You ok?" Kakashi asked putting his hand on her forehead. "You aren't getting sick are you?" He put his other hand on his own forehead. "Did you get wet when I used the water jutsu?"

"Gah!" Mirai screamed pushing him away and blushing.

"What, what?" Kakashi shouted looking around with his Sharingan active. "Is someone here?"

"No." Mirai said trying to hide her embarrassment.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Kakashi asked the girl that was slowly backing away from him.

"Yes." Mirai said with a quick bow. "I'm sorry for interrupting your training Kakashi, have a nice day." She said before running away.

Kakashi finally found his shirt and pulled out the small flower he had found inside of it. The red matched the shade of Mirai's eyes. "Guess I can give this to her tomorrow."

XXXX

Sarada burst through the doors of the Hokage mansion and ran right into Sasuke. "Daddy!" She screamed.

Everyone in the room became deathly quiet as Sasuke held the crying girl. "What's wrong?" He asked bending down to her level and petting the back of her head.

"He came back." Sarada managed to say between whimpers.

Naruto's eyes widened as he felt the wave of Sasuke's chakra that could've put some of the Biju to shame.

"Rin." Sasuke said looking to the woman. "Please take Sarada." He said looking at her with his Mangekyo active.

"Come here dear." Rin said reaching out to the Byakugan Uchiha who snuggled closer into Sasuke.

"I'll be right back." Sasuke said to her looking straight out the door.

Kakashi walked into the room and felt the cold silence in the room. "What's wrong?" He asked looking around.

"Kakashi!" Sarada shouted releasing Sasuke and grabbing the Jonin. Before he could blink Sasuke was already out the door and in a dead sprint.

"He's not getting away this time." Sasuke said to himself.

"Agreed." Naruto said running beside him.

"What are you doing here dobe?" Sasuke snapped.

"I'm the Hokage and he's in my village." Naruto said keeping up with the admittedly fast Uchiha.

"Fine." Sasuke spat as his feat went from running on the concrete to the grass as they entered the park. "Where is he?"

"There!" Naruto pointed before they ran through the brush to see the tree man looking at them.

"Look they're both here." A happy and cheery voice said.

"Too bad we can't kill them both." A gruff and angry voice said.

"Never come near my daughter again." Sasuke said as black flames spread over the tree.

"The Amaterasu!" Zetsu said. "We will be back, Indra and Ashura." He said as he receded back into the tree.

In a blink, Naruto had punched where Zetsu was but he had already disappeared. "I can't sense him anymore." He turned around. "Sasuke stop the flames."

The flames died out and Sasuke turned around quickly walking towards the Uchiha district.

"We'll catch him." Naruto said to the leaving Uchiha.

"I'm going to kill him Naruto." Sasuke said looking back with his legendary eyes. "And you won't even be able to stop me." He finished before walking away.

 **AN: Alright here's today's chapter. So I'm torn on whether or not I should do something with this story. The idea suddenly came to me and I can't stop thinking about it. It wasn't originally part of the plan, but I think it might work.**


	28. Chapter 28

Kiba stood in the center of the ring once again. "I am proud to welcome you all to the Ninja World Tournament Finals!" The crowd cheered as he held his fist in the air. "Today we get to see the best of the best mix it up in Shinobi combat." He waited as the crowd continued to cheer. "Today you will see the long anticipated showdown between Kakashi Uchiha and Kuroto Nii!"

He watched as the crowd got even more revved up. "And will we see Itachi Uchiha have vengeance against Kasai Nii for humiliating his sister?"

In the Kage booth Yugito glanced over at Naruto. "I didn't realize that my daughter was going to be made the villain."

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck. "That is not the script he was given."

"I say it adds to the excitement!" Roshi shouted from his chair.

"I agree." Gaara said quietly. "If nothing happens with your plan Naruto, then at least we will have an exciting tournament finale."

"Fine." Yugito said crossing her arms. "I suppose it would be interesting to see a villain win."

"Ouch!" Roshi said as he made his finger smoke. "That sounds like quite the burn there Nine."

"At least I have ninjas in the finals." Naruto smirked.

Roshi said nothing as he felt the cool slimy hand of Utakata next to him. "I thought that I'd soothe your burn." The Mizukage said with a smile.

"Damn." Yugito said wide eyed.

Lower in the stands someone sat between Sakura and Rin. "Lady Tsunade!" Sakura shouted hugging her former teacher.

"Hello Sakura." Tsunade said with a proud smile on her face.

"How long are you going to be in town this time?" Rin asked cocking her head to the side.

"I haven't decided." Tsunade said happily when she noticed a pair of big green eyes looking at her from behind Tsunade.

"And is this my little grandson?" Tsunade asked looking at the boy. "You've grown so much since I saw you last. I bet you're already well on your way to being a Chunin."

Rin elbowed Tsunade in the ribs. "Don't you ever read your mail?"

"I used to have Shizune do that." Tsunade said quickly. "Why what did I miss?"

In response Minato pulled up his pant leg and showed the massive scar on the leg. "Injured during a mission." The boy said. "The Vastus Lateralis got cut by a kunai and unfortunately I was too far away from any medics for too long." He added letting the pant leg fall back down.

"I can walk on it now, but running and jumping is out." Minato said with a sad look on his face. "But I've found something new to do."

"Let me guess." Tsunade said smirking at the boy. "You're going to be Hokage."

"No." Minato said sticking his tongue out. "Dad told me about how much paper work is involved and it sounds awful."

"He's not wrong." Tsunade grumbled. "I still feel like Jiraiya tricked me into the job." She looked back over at the boy. "So what is your new passion?"

"I'm going to be a surgeon!" He cheered with a smile that gave Tsunade a shocking deja vu of his father claiming her would be Hokage.

"Well if you're anything like your mother you'll be the best in the world." Tsunade said smiling at the boy.

"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune shouted running over to the group. "When did you get back?" The former student asked happily.

"Just now." Tsunade said with a grin. "I wanted to see the finals."

"Do you mind if I join you?" Shizune asked.

"Not at all." Rin said happily scooting over for her fellow medical ninja.

"Isn't this awesome Sarada?" Minato asked the girl next to him. "We're sitting with all of the great medical ninjas."

Sarada was pulled out of her deep thoughts when she looked at Minato. "Our dads are literally the strongest ninjas ever and that's what your focused on?"

"They are?" Minato asked cocking his head. "I never thought about it that way."

"Idiot." Sarada mumbled to herself leaning forward.

"What's wrong?" Minato asked his former teammate.

"Nothing!" Sarada snapped at him. "There's nothing wrong with me, what about you, what have you been up to?"

Minato was wide eyed at the girl in front of him. "That's what I thought." Sarada said refocusing on the arena below.

Minato pulled on his mother's sleeve. "What is it?" Sakura asked laughing with her friends.

"Girls are crazy." He said before he realized that he was sitting with only girls. "Um." He said as all eyes fell on him. "I'm gonna go sit with Shikadai." He said as he stood up but was quickly pulled back into his seat.

"Stay right here." Sakura said. "After you disappeared last night I'm not letting you out of my sight."

"Ok." Minato said lowering his head and watching the stadium.

Kiba smiled as he was about to announce the first fight. "Now, the final Genin battle. From the Leaf we have the newest wielder of the Sharingan and descendent of the Main House of the Hyuuga, and one of the village leaders, Itachi Uchiha!" He screamed as the boy calmly walked out of the tunnel and stood tall wearing the Uchiha crest on his back larger than he usually did.

"And from the land far away, daughter of the current Raikage and power house in her own right, Kasai Nii!" He cheered as the crowd got excited with the blonde girl coming out of the tunnel.

"Now." Kiba said getting both of their attention. "This is the final, so I want to see you guys leave everything you've got out there."

"Right." Kasai said with a quick nod and a smirk.

Kiba looked over to Itachi who did nothing but stare ahead at his opponent. "Alright." He said raising his hand in the air. "Shinobi combat, begin!" He shouted bringing his hand down and jumping out of the way.

Itachi didn't hesitate to activate his Sharingan. Kasai was ready for that though as her eyes looked down at his feet to avoid the same trap the Ice ninja was caught in the first day.

"Smart!" Itachi said charging forward and throwing his fist out at Kasai who sidestepped the attack and brought her leg up to hit him. Itachi blocked the leg with his forearm and continued to stare at her. "But you still won't be able to defeat these eyes."

Kasai grinned as she blocked a punch from Itachi. "Everyone always talks about how amazing my mom is, but they tend to forget my dad." She said as blue chakra lined her hand as she swung it at Itachi.

"Chakra scalpel." He said in shock as he leaned back avoiding the attack. He straightened back out and found Kasai already punching him in the face hurling him away.

"Unfortunately, I can't use daddy's abilities if I use moms." Kasai said as she chakra around her hand died out. "Chakra control gets much harder when I start to use this chakra." She said with a chuckle. "Too bad." She said as she saw Itachi get back to his feet.

"Too bad for what?" Itachi asked shaking off the daze.

"I think fighting Minato down here would be much more fun." Kasai said as her fingernails started to lengthen. "You just aren't adequate."

"Adequate." The word bounced around Itachi's head as he heard it. "I'll show you!" He screamed as he performed a set of hand signs before grasping his left forearm. "This is a jutsu that was originally created by someone who wasn't Uchiha, but my father made it his own, and now so do I."

"Chidori." Naruto said in shock.

Rin watched in shock terrified of hearing that sound again.

"Fire Blade!" Itachi shouted as with a single spark his arm was covered in fire.

"Fire?" Kasai asked before smiling. "That is the wrong element to be using here." She held out her arm as blue flames covered it. "Let's see who burns hotter." Kasai said feeling her chakra starting to boil.

Itachi and Kasai both charged forward with their fire burning behind them as they ran scorching the ground beneath them as they slammed their arms against the other. The fire around them started to grow into the air.

"Don't underestimate the Uchiha." Itachi said as the fire above them started to take the shape of a dragon before slamming down on Kasai.

Itachi jumped back swiping at his still burning clothing as the jutsu in his hand died out. "That was close." He said taking a breath and watching as the fire around her continued to burn.

He gasped when he saw a red chakra arm reach out for him and grab his torso and pull him into the inferno. He came face to face with Kasai whose eyes had changed to their different colors. "Guess you can't handle the heat?" She asked smirking before the tail behind her snapped in one direction and the force put out the fire around them.

"What are you?" Itachi gasped trying to free himself from the chakra arm.

"Your better." Kasai said as she made eye contact with Itachi.

"I win." Itachi said with a smirk as the genjutsu set in.

Kasai opened her eyes in shock and found herself in the middle of the forest. "Where?" She asked looking around. "Where did you go you coward?"

"Right here!" Itachi shouted as he moved faster than her and slammed his knee into her chin. "Now we'll see who's adequate!" Itachi shouted as with a blur he disappeared again.

"Gah!" Kasai gasped as she was hit in the stomach and blood came out of her mouth. "How are you this fast?" She asked holding her stomach.

"I control everything here." Itachi whispered in her ear. "Even that vile chakra inside of you." He said looking down at her.

"After I finish you, I'm going to move onto my true destiny." Itachi said jumping into the air and kicking her away.

Kasai skid on the ground before slamming into a tree. "Destiny?" She mumbled before she felt herself being lifted into the air. She opened her eyes and saw Itachi holding his fiery hand in her face.

"I'm going to bring peace to this world." Itachi snarled. "And if that means the Biju have to die, then that's a price I'm willing to pay."

"What?" Kasai asked as Itachi shoved his hand breaking through her skull and slamming into the other side.'

Kasai felt her chakra fading as she floated in an empty void. "Am I dead?" She asked herself as she heard an echo of herself. "I don't want to die." She said to herself as she balled up in the void she was in.

She shook her head. "I don't want to die." The image of a smiling blond came to her mind. "I don't want to die!" She screamed as red chakra covered her body and became too thick to see her.

XXXX

Itachi was walking away from the girl on the ground when he felt the tremor behind him. He snapped his head to the side and barely had time to register that he was being punched before he hit the wall on the other side of the arena.

Kasai was standing on her feet back in the arena as the chakra completely covered her and took the shape of a cat with two tales. Her eyes had been covered in pure light as she looked forward at Itachi. "I want to live!" She screamed as in the blink of an eye she was in front of him and throwing him back across the arena.

Itachi gasped as he felt the weightlessness before he felt her knee in his back launching him into the air.

"I want to live!" Kasai screamed jumping into the air after Itachi and punching him too fast for even him to track.

Where did all this power come from? He wondered to himself as he felt his body starting to break from the beatings before he felt his ankles grabbed.

Kasai spun in the air and threw Itachi back into the ground as hard as she could.

Kiba walked forward slowly keeping his eyes on the chakra girl nearby when he looked into the crater in the arena and bent down. He waited a moment, "He's got a pulse. We need a medic!" He shouted as a medical team came pouring out of the tunnel and picked up the unconscious Uchiha.

"The winner is Kasai Nii!" Kiba shouted pointing at the girl.

Kasai stopped breathing heavily as the chakra around her faded to reveal that her entire body had been covered in burns from the chakra.

Kiba's eyes widened. "We need a medic here now!" He shouted as another team came out just as Kasai fell onto the ground.

Kiba was about to run over but he stopped when he realized that the Raikage was already in front of her. "When did she?" He asked looking up at the Kage booth and seeing all of them standing.

"I told you not to use the second stage." Yugito chided as she tried to apply a healing jutsu but she lost control of her chakra. "Damn." She cursed as she felt a hand on her back.

"Don't worry." Rin said kneeling next to her. "I've had to help with these burns before. She's going to be fine after some rest." Rin said as her healing chakra returned Kasai's skin to its normal shade of pink.

"Thank you Lady Rin." Yugito said quietly. "But your son and my daughter still need to fight."

"What does that have to do with us?" Rin asked with a smile. "We knew each other long before this tournament, why let it cause division?"

Yugito smiled as she saw that her daughter was fully healed. "Thank you." She said with a bow as she picker her daughter up. She looked over to Kiba quickly. "Declare the winner Hound."

"And the winner is Kasai Nii!" Kiba shouted as the crowd cheered.

Yugito gently laid her daughter on the stretcher before she jumped into the air landing in the Kage booth again.

"I'll never get used to that." Gaara said calmly.

"Two could be the fastest of us all." Roshi said with a smile.

"You're forgetting about Naruto." Gaara said calmly.

"Yeah but that was only when he was using all of our power." Roshi said with a smile.

Naruto quickly stood up. "I'm sorry but I need to go check on something. I'll be back shortly."

"Don't want to miss the big Jonin fight." Yugito said with a slight smirk.

"Wouldn't miss it." Naruto said patting her on the back.

XXXX

Minato was watching the Chunin fight, and compared to the Genin fight it was kinda boring until he felt someone tapping his back.

He turned around and looked at a pair of blue eyes on a chubby face he didn't fully recognize. The boy in front of him was wearing a bright orange tracksuit and had a blue headband wrapped around his head.

"What are you doing?" Sakura snapped at the boy pulling him around. "You're supposed to be up there." She said pointing at the Kage box.

"I needed Minato." The boy said pointing at the Uzumaki.

"Fine." Sakura said. "Just don't get caught."

Rin and Tsunade chuckled at the couple and smiled seeing that familiar orange outfit.

"Dad?" Minato asked cocking his head.

"Yes." Naruto nodded quickly. "Now follow me, I think I sensed something and I need a second opinion."

"Sure." Minato said standing to his feet and following after his now small father.

"What did he sense?" Tsunade asked the group.

"Who knows?" Sakura said shrugging her shoulders. "If it was something serious he would've sent the Anbu. I mean that is the smart thing to do."

The other medical ninjas cocked their eyebrows at Sakura. "Fine." Sakura sighed before holding her hand up and she transformed into her genin self. "I'll be back. Just keep an eye on Sarada."

Rin smiled at seeing the two of them small again. "I miss when they were little."

"You get to see your other little one out there in a little while." Tsunade said jokingly.

"He's not little anymore." Rin said wiping a small tear from her eye. "I remember when he used to ride on my shoulders, and now he's even taller than his father was."

Shizune gave a bittersweet smile before watching the fights continue.

XXXX

"What are we doing dad?" Minato asked as he followed his father out of the stadium.

"Yeah!" Sakura chided coming up next to him.

Minato looked at both his parents before he started to laugh.

"What?" Sakura asked feeling self conscious in front of her son.

"Mom was taller than you." Minato teased. "I always thought Uncle Obito was pushing your head down in the picture, you were just a midget." Minato said covering his mouth and laughing.

Naruto let out a breath before pointing to the distance. "Can you sense something in that direction?"

Minato calmed down from laughing and focused his senses in the direction his father was pointing. "Just give me a moment." He said closing his eyes.

He felt the rush of information as he suddenly was aware of all the chakra around him. He could see each of the Tailed Beasts and the way their chakra moved in their holder. He felt the rush of chakra coming from the combatants. Beyond that he sensed the villagers that stayed in the village and beyond them he sensed two people.

"Dad?" Minato asked.

"Yeah?" Naruto asked.

"What elements does the Five Tails use?" Minato asked not opening his eyes.

"Fire and water." Naruto said calmly. "Why?"

"Because I can sense him in the distance." Minato said adjusting his senses. "He's with two people, no he's inside of one of them." Minato corrected. "But he's not a jinchuuriki." Minato finished. Minato's eyes widened in panic. "Dad they have even more chakra than you."

"Naruto?" Sakura asked looking at the man. "What's going on?"

"They're here." Naruto said calmly. He looked in the distance and then back at the stadium. "You guys need to stay here." Naruto said. "I'll go ahead." He said as a poof of smoke revealed a fully grown Naruto wearing his Hokage jacket.

Sakura returned to her adult form as well and saw the determined look on Naruto's face. "Come back to us." She said her hard green eyes meeting his hard blue.

Naruto nodded before he saw something in his peripheral vision. Minato was holding his fist out to him. "Take em down." Minato said proudly. "You beat Kokuo before this will be like that time."

Naruto nodded before he started running towards the chakra signatures. After he got out of the village he activated his chakra cloak. "Kurama, it's time." Naruto said proudly.

"Finally," The massive fox said putting its two hands together and sitting cross legged.

XXXX

Minato and Sakura retook their seats and just in time as Kiba walked into the center of the ring. "Now it's time for the moment you've all been waiting for!" He cheered. "The final showdown between royalty. Villages that once fought on the battlefield send their best to fight in a single head to head showdown where only one shall win."

"Drama queen." Hinata said leaning against a support beam.

"What a drag." Shikamaru said rubbing his face in frustration.

"Pay attention." Temari nudged her son.

"Sure." Shikadai said calmly.

Kiba looked around at all of his friends in their seats before continuing his announcements. "From the Village Hidden in the Leaves, you all know and love him. Kakashi Uchiha!" Kiba shouted as the black haired ninja came out of the tunnel now wearing a familiar set out purple battle gear.

"Is that?" Tsunade asked shocked.

"He asked me to fix it up for him." Rin said happily. "Kakashi wants to surpass his father, he should do it as head of the Uchiha clan."

Kakashi stood proudly looking just like his father did in his battle gear that had been worn by every Uchiha head since Madara Uchiha.

"He looks just like him." Sakura said in awe. "When did Little Kakashi grow into a man?"

"Right in front of us." Rin said proudly.

"Go Kakashi." Shizune whispered quietly. "Do it for him."

Kiba nodded at the Uchiha understanding what was happening. "And from the Village Hidden in the Clouds, the blue flamed princess, the one, the only, Kuroto Nii!" Kiba shouted as the blonde woman came out of the tunnel wearing her usual gear.

"Aww." Kuroto whined. "You should've told me we were doing a fashion show. I would've made myself look pretty." She said smirking at the Uchiha.

"This is the battle armor worn by every Uchiha head before me." Kakashi said calmly. "My father wore it in the Fourth Great Ninja War."

"Looks good." Kuroto teased with a wink.

"Focus on this." Kakashi snapped with a slight blush.

"Kasai was right." Kuroto said resting her chin on her hand.

"About?" Kakashi asked.

"Teasing cute boys is fun." She said before charging forward directly in front of Kakashi.

The Uchiha's eyes widened as he jumped over her attack landing on the other side of her? "Cute?" He asked still blushing.

"Don't let it get you your head." Kuroto said back turning around. "It's not like you have much competition."

"How did he dodge that?" Sakura asked.

"He already has the first gate open." Minato said watching the fight and trying to ignore the chakra in the distance.

"What?" Shizune asked shocked. "Even the first gate puts enormous strain on the body."

"He knows what he's doing." Rin said confidently.

"Yeah." Minato nodded his head agreeing. "Go Kakashi!" Minato shouted.

"Look you've got fans." Kuroto said nodding over to the seats.

"So do you." Kakashi said pointing to the Kage box. "Now what do you say we fight for real?"

"For real?" Kuroto asked crossing her arms. "So everything up till now has been what, a warm up?"

"You could say that." Kakashi said now behind Kuroto swinging his leg to kick her.

The blonde's eyes widened as she saw the Kakashi in front of her disappear into a puddle. "You aren't fast enough." Kuroto said jumping into the air and kicking the Leaf ninja in the head.

Kakashi disappeared into a water clone again that splashed on the ground. "So you don't think you could beat me in a real fight?" Kuroto asked looking all around her.

"Not what I'm worried about." She heard from below her as she felt her ankles grabbed and she was pulled into the ground. "Head Hunter jutsu." He said proudly.

"Fine." Kuroto said as red chakra started to spread over her body. "If you can't do this yet, then there's no way you can beat me." She said as the ground around her body exploded into the air and she jumped out of the hole.

Kakashi popped his neck and started to dance from side to side looking at his now feral opponent. "Only the one tail?" He asked with a smirk. "For all you know I just might use three."

Kuroto grinned before she charged forward appearing in front of Kakashi and started to slam her fists into his chest before kicking him away. "I only need one." She said with a smirk looking ahead as Kakashi picked himself up off the ground.

"I want to fight you at your strongest." Kakashi said wiping the trickle of blood off his mouth. "So don't hold back on me, because I'm not going to hold back against you anymore."

"Third Gate open!" Kakashi screamed as his skin turned red and the air around him started to turn green from the sweat evaporating off of him. "Now let's move." He said getting into a fighting stance.

The two charged at one another at amazing speeds causing fissures in the ground to form where they struck one another before backing off and striking again.

"They're so fast." Temari said in shock. "I had no idea Kakashi was this powerful."

"This is all new." Shikamaru said. "A few months ago, she would've annihilated him. And something tells me that they're both holding something back."

"Like when Kasai fought Itachi." Shikadai said next to him. "Her chakra looked different than it normally did, and she had two tails."

"Whoa." Minato said in awe. He imagined this was what it was like whenever his father fought Sasuke, but if Kakashi and Kuroto are doing that now, what was it really like when Naruto and Sasuke fought?

"They're on a whole different level." Tsunade said with a hint of pride in her voice. "It looks like Naruto might have to watch out before Kakashi takes the job."

"Oh Kakashi doesn't want to be Hokage." Rin said with a smile on her face.

"Neither did I." Tsunade grumbled as Rin laughed remembering the story.

Shizune on the other hand was watching the fight with a sad look on her face. Sakura was able to see it, but knew that this wasn't the time.

The fighters slid to a halt staring at one another. "Thanks." Kuroto said as her tail flicked behind her.

"For what?" Kakashi asked stretching his quickly tiring muscles.

"The only person who can give me a fight like this is my mother." Kuroto said with a grin.

"Glad to be compared to a Kage." Kakashi said smiling.

"Oh she'd eat you alive." Kuroto said jumping forward and swinging her fist at Kakashi who dodged the attack and kicked her away.

"Bad kitty." Kakashi said smiling at the girl.

"Glad to see I'm not the only one enjoying myself." Kuroto said standing back to her feet. The next thing she knew Kakashi was right in front of her with his arms spread wide. In slow motion she could see the look on his face, he wasn't attacking, then what was he doing?

The two skid across the ground as Kakashi turned to look up when he saw a large pale white man had landed where Kuroto was standing.

"You need to leave." Kiba shouted running to the man.

"No." He said simply not looking at Kiba. "My Lord has something he needs to say."

"This is your hero." Came a very light sounding voice.

The entire stadium looked up to see Naruto being held by his throat by a small pale man with grey horns and pale white eyes.

"Naruto Sensei." Kakashi whispered looking up.

 **AN: Yes I am using the villains from the Boruto movie/manga. As always thank you for reading and please leave reviews, haven't been getting enough lately. (Twitches)**


	29. Chapter 29

"Who are you?" Gaara demanded standing just outside the Kage booth floating on sand.

"My name is Momoshiki Otsutsuki." The man said with a smile. "And all of you are going to die." He said as he dropped Naruto to the ground. "Kinshiki." Momoshiki said to the other man that was with him. "Bring me the valuable eyes."

"Yes my Lord." Kinshiki said with a bow before disappearing in a blur and appearing in front of Sarada with his hand stretched out.

With a sudden impact he was launched back towards the arena and landed on his back sliding away.

Everyone in the audience looked at Minato who was breathing heavily. "Don't touch her." He said proudly glaring at the pale man.

"Holy shit." Tsunade said as she stood up to handle the situation.

Kakashi was glaring at the small man floating above him. He slowly stood back up with his Sharingan aimed at the Otsutsuki. "What makes you think you can just come here and do this?"

"We're just here to take what was stolen from us." Momoshiki said. "One of our own stole the seed and used it to grow the tree that gave all of you your power."

"Kaguya." Kakashi said in shock. "So you're with her?"

"Oh no." Momoshiki said floating to the ground and looking at Kakashi. "We're glad to see that she's gone, but we will still retake all of our chakra."

"What about all of us?" Kakashi asked narrowing his eyes.

"You all will die." Momoshiki said before he started to laugh and jutsus flew out of him faster than anyone could follow.

The attacks surged through the crowd hitting anything in their path. Luckily the ninjas in the stands were able to try and get most of the civillains out.

Sasuke landed in front of Kinshiki holding his sword out. The two men stared at one another silently before Sasuke spoke. "If you're here for eyes you aren't going to find any stronger than mine."

Kinshiki looked around. "No, there are eyes stronger than yours nearby."

"What?" Sasuke asked. The only eyes he knew of that were stronger than his was the Rinnegan and Nagato's were destroyed.

"Get out of my way." Kinshiki said staring at Sasuke.

XXXX

Meanwhile Zetsu was on top of the stadium watching the attack happen. "This is our best shot at retrieving him."

"Agreed." The black half replied. "We shall send in our troops." They disappeared back into the ground.

XXXX

Sasuke was kicked back into the wall as the massive Kinshiki swung his fist bashing Sasuke against the wall.

"Get away from him!" Hinata screamed as she slammed her chakra coated palms into the mans back.

He whipped around faster than they could follow as he grabbed her by the throat. "Byakugan." He said staring at her activating his own eyes.

Hinata tried to struggle against his iron grip. "Sasuke." She choked out reaching for the man.

"Don't touch her." Sasuke whispered.

"What?" Kinshiki asked looking back towards Sasuke. "Her?" he asked tightening his grip. "She's a pale imitation of the thief."

"I said…" Sasuke said looking at the ground. "Let her go!" He screamed looking back up with his Mangekyo blazing. A purple chakra fist formed next to him slamming into the massive man hurling him away from the Uchiha.

"Sasuke." Hinata said coughing.

"Leave this to me." Sasuke said walking forward and unclipping his coat. "No one threatens my family. Get the kids out of here."

Hinata balled her fist but she knew he was right. He had surpassed her in power years ago and this wasn't her fight.

XXXX

Kakashi heard the people land next to him. "Kakashi, Kuroto." Yugito began as the rest of the Kage walked forward. "Make sure everyone gets away safely, if these things handled Naruto then we're going to need to go all out."

Kakashi balled his fist. "Fine." He said gabbing Kuroto by the arm and running in the other direction. "We need to get the Genin!" he shouted to the girl.

"Right." Kuroto said running with him.

"We won't have much time if we're going to fight this guy for real." Roshi said. "But we need to wait until the civilians are clear.

"Then we hold him back." Gaara said holding his hand forward as the ground started to rumble. "Sand Eruption!" Gaara screamed as a tower of sand burst through the concrete ground right below Momoshiki. "Get Naruto!" He shouted.

"Right!" Yugito replied running towards the Hokage and grabbing him before running in the other direction.

"Tanuki, Cat, Monkey, Slug, and Fox." Momoshiki said walking through the sand. "These are the five that rule this world?" He asked.

"They aren't alone!" Rin screamed jumping into the arena slamming her fist onto the ground as it jutted out towards the Otsutsuki.

"Pathetic." Momoshiki said floating above the breaking ground.

"Gotcha!" Fuu shouted slamming into the pale man at full speed bringing him back to the ground. "Roshi!" She screamed jumping off of him.

"Right!" The Tsuchikage shouted jumping into the area as his hand was covered in volcanic rock before he slammed it into Momoshiki.

Roshi grinned before a hand landed on his face. "Insects." Momoshiki said as the chakra around Roshi's hand died out and his body went limp falling to the ground.

"So this is the power that Kaguya stole from us?" Momoshiki asked standing up again. "It's a rare thing to see someone able to get the better of me, even if only for a moment. You should all die with pride.

"We aren't going to die." Naruto said groggily. "Because we don't give up." He said slowly standing to his feet.

"I thought that I had drained you of all your chakra?" Momoshiki asked.

"You did." Naruto said with a chuckle. "But I know how to get more." He looked up his eyes now amber colored with a solid horizontal black bar.

"Sage mode?" Rin asked shocked.

"It should only take me a few minutes for Kurama to be ready." Naruto said staring at the man in front of him. "By then the civilians should be far enough away to go wild."

"Right!" Rin said slamming her fist into her palm. "We can buy some time."

"Insects." Momoshiki said floating into the air. "Face the power of a god." He said holding his hand out as a Rinnegan appeared and another swarm of jutsus rushed out at the Jinchurikis.

XXXX

Kakashi ran into the infirmary and saw Itachi and Kasai laying on separate cots and the room was empty?

"They just left them?" Kuroto asked running to pick up her sister.

"Guess so." Kakashi said throwing Itachi over his shoulder. "We need to get as far away from here as possible."

"Right." Kuroto said nodding.

They were interrupted by a massive explosion. "Art is an explosion!" A man screamed.

"We're here for the boy you moron." A deep gruff voice replied.

"Deidara." Kakashi whispered to himself tightening his grip on Itachi.

"An Uchiha!" Another one shouted looking through the cloud of dust. "One of those bastards took my head off."

"I lost an arm, you don't hear me complaining." Came the first voice.

"Stay focused." The gruff voice interjected. "Give us the boy and we'll be going."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes looking ahead at the trio. Deidara the explosives expert that he thought was already eliminated. Hidan, the man that Sasuke must've taken into the village. And Sasori of the sand all standing in front of him. "None of you are laying one finger on him."

"He's right." Came another voice. "Come Kakashi, let us show these villains the power of youth!" Gai screamed charging into the room.

"I'll carry him." Mirai said coming next to Kakashi. "You've got this." She said nodding to him.

"Thanks." He said stealing one last glance at the Sarutobi girl.

"Get out of here Mirai." Asuma said walking into the room pulling his trench knives out.

"Right." The red eyed girl said before turning around and running out of the room with Itachi on her back.

"Asuma Sarutobi, and Might Gai." Sasori said looking at their opponents.

"I want the Uchiha!" Deidara shouted. "Something about him makes me want to show off my art."

"I'll take Sarutobi." Hidan said resting his massive scythe on his back. "Lord Jashin will be pleased with this sacrifice."

"Then I suppose I get the Leaf's Blue Beast." Sasori replied.

"This brings back memories doesn't it Gai?" Asuma asked glancing over at him.

"It's just like fighting alongside Obito once again!" Gai shouted holding his fist into the air.

Kakashi grinned at the thought before he shouted. "Open Gate of Life!" He screamed before charging at Deidara and slamming his fist into the man's face. "Fight them outside, we're going to need the space!" He shouted before running after his opponent.

"He's bossier than his father that's for sure." Asuma said as chakra stretched over his knives.

"But just as youthful!" Gai screamed leaping at his opponent and dodging one of the tail strikes.

"Don't forget our goal Hidan." Sasori said back stepping Gai's attacks.

"Don't worry about me." Hidan said bouncing his weapon on his shoulder. "That girl that was with the brat will make a great sacrifice."

"Not a chance." Asuma said charging forward.

XXXX

Sasuke blocked a massive punch from Kinshiki using the Susanoo before flinging the man away into the village.

"You hurt my friends." Sasuke said charging after the man his hand coated in lightning. "You threaten my home." He drove his foot into the massive man's head hurling him away. "But worst of all, you hurt Hinata!" He screamed as Black flames spread over his lightning covered hand as he drove it into the Otsutsuki's chest.

Kinshiki grabbed Sasuke's head and tossed him into the air. "I don't care about any of that." He said calmly leaping into the air after Sasuke.

"Was hoping to save this for Naruto." Sasuke said to himself as he flew through the air. He weaved a set of hand signs before slamming his palms together as his entire body was covered in lightning. "Sorry Ay." He said to himself as he redirected his trajectory directly at Kinishiki.

Sasuke swung his sword down but the massive man had a blade of his own coated in bright red chakra. "Hn." Sasuke grunted as they fell back to the ground kicking dirt into the air before they burst through the streets striking one another.

Sasuke covered in his lightning and it seemed that Kinshiki was using red lightning to propel himself quickly. The met in the center their blades crashing. "Gotcha." Sasuke said as he activated his Mangekyo and black flames spread over Kinshiki.

"Gah!" The massive man screamed as he heard an explosion come from where Momoshiki was.

XXXX

"Afraid to fight me for real?" Kakashi asked as Deidara continued to dodge attacks.

"I know you from somewhere." The blond man said dodging another kunai. "But I just can't place it."

"Why do you want Itachi?" Kakashi asked dodging a clay bird that exploded in his face hurling him into a building.

"That's what the boss says." Deidara said shrugging his shoulder. "Honestly I don't care about the kid either way."

Kakashi pulled himself out of the rubble as he started to feel the anger inside of him burning. "This time, I'm going to kill you for real."

"This time?" Deidara asked as he noticed Kakashi was already in front of him bringing a swirling orb of chakra down on him.

"Rasengan!" Kakashi screamed as he drove the attack into the ground as Deidara sidestepped the attack.

"Who are you?" Deidara demanded. "When did you try to kill me?"

Kakashi looked up covering his left eye and glaring at the explosives expert. "You're the only one that's ever survived me."

"Tobi?" Deidara asked in shock.

Kakashi smiled a wicked grin before leaping forward and catching Deidara in the jaw with his knee. He grabbed the blond by the shoulders and spun around in the air hurling him into another building demolishing it.

XXXX

Gai ducked under another strike from Sasori's tail. "How is it someone your age is still so limber?" Gai asked as he back flipped away.

"Pesky Leaf Ninja." Sasori said calmly. "I see no reason to tell you."

"That is fine." Gai said striking the Nice Guy pose. "You are still a youthful opponent, but unfortunately you are attacking my village."

"Just fight him!" A woman screamed as poison gas surrounded Sasori.

"Shizune?" Gai asked seeing the woman land next to him.

"We can talk after we handle this." She said narrowing her eyes when she saw something launch out of the smoke.

"It has been years since someone forced me to reveal this form." The now humanoid Sasori said looking down on them.

"He's just a puppet now." Shizune said looking at him. "So don't hold back."

"Of course." Gai nodded as he closed his eyes. "Gate of Wonder Open!" Gai screamed as blue vapor surrounded his body.

In the blink of an eye he was in front of Sasori pulling his fist back and slamming it into the man's chest forcing the puppet to splinter into millions of pieces.

"One punch?" Gai asked looking at his fist. "All it took was one punch!" He screamed as he fell to his knees.

XXXX

Naruto opened his eyes and he saw all of the Jinchurriki battling Momoshiki. He slowly stood to his feet as golden chakra spread over his body. He looked up and his eyes still had the tint on them, plus the bar and the slit of Kurama. "I'm ready!" He screamed leaping into the air knocking Momoshiki into the sky.

"Ready?" He asked the others as they landed next to him.

"Ready!" The all shouted landing beside him.

"Ahhhh!" They all screamed as with an explosion of chakra they stood in their Tailed Beast forms.

"He's still up there." Kurama said to the others.

"We'll knock him out with one shot." Gyucki said to the others. "Everyone ready a Tailed Beast Bomb."

All the beasts opened their mouths looking at the sky as black orbs began to grow in front of them.

"All at once!" Naruto screamed from inside of Kurama. "Now!" He screamed as each of the beasts fired their attacks directly impacting Momoshiki.

XXXX

Asuma ducked under another slash of the scythe. "Enough." Came a gruff voice that grew out of the ground. "We have the boy." Zetsu said looking towards Hidan. "We have no reason for staying."

"Lord Jashin demands a sacrifice." Hidan said brandishing his weapon.

"Do as you wish." Zetsu said turning around before dodging a kunai aimed at his head.

"Where's Itachi?" Mirai screamed at the plant man.

"Get out of here!" Asuma screamed.

"I'm a jonin just like you." She said walking beside him. "Now where is Itachi?" She said glaring at the man.

"Safe." Zetsu said as he faded into the ground. "Don't take too long Hidan."

"No promises." The sadist said grinning at the two in front of him. "It's been a long time since I've given Lord Jashin a virgin."

"Touch her and it will be the last thing you do." Asuma said stepping forward.

"And you must be her father than." Hidan said with his sick smile. "That would make her Mirai Sarutobi." He said laughing to himself. "If I bring the both of you, Lord Jashin will be so pleased.

"Try it." Mirai said pulling out her kunai.

Hidan charged forward swinging his scythe and cutting the both of them.

"Is that all you've got?" Mirai asked wiping the blood off her arm.

Hidan licked the blood off his weapon. "I've never tried this with two peoples blood before." Hidan said looking between the two. "Who will die, the seasoned warrior and father, or the innocent and peace loving daughter? Let's find out." He said as his skin turned black and white marking spread over his entire body.

In a few precise motions, he drew a symbol on the ground in blood. "For Lord Jashin!" He screamed pulling a stake out of his pocket and plunged it into his stomach.

XXXX

Kinshiki landed in the middle of the stadium away from the Tailed Beasts looking up as Momoshiki slowly descended to the ground holding his palm out.

"That chakra was almost strong." He said with a smirk before he burst into laughter. "Kinshiki!" He screamed.

"Yes my Lord?" The large man asked bending his knee.

"Sacrifice yourself."

"As you wish." Kinshiki said as he disappeared and his chakra was absorbed by Momoshiki.

"Yes." He said as his skin started to turn red and his horns elongated. "That's right." He said with glee as he looked at the Tailed Beasts. "Give me all of you!" He screamed as he extended his hand out.

"Not a chance." Naruto said as Kurama swung his massive fist at the man.

"You're quite the resilient one." Momoshiki said holding Kurama's fist.

Naruto grunted when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Sasuke?" Naruto asked glancing back at the man.

"Let's do it." Sasuke said.

"Right!" Naruto cheered as he felt Sasuke's chakra enter his body.

The other Tailed Beasts watched in shock as purple armor began to grow over Kurama. "So this is their combined power?" Matatabi asked.

"Gah!" Naruto and Sasuke screamed as a massive sword formed in Kurama's hand that he brought down on top of Momoshiki.

"That won't be enough." Sasuke said coldly. "You felt his chakra didn't you?"

"Yeah." Naruto said with a nod. "But we have one more coming."

"One more?" Sasuke asked raising an eyebrow.

"Is this the limit you insects have?" Momoshiki asked standing up from the attack.

"Cha!" Sakura screamed as she slammed her fist into the man hurling him back into the air.

Kurama stretched out his hand as Rin jumped into it before being thrown directly at Momoshiki. "Now!" Rin screamed as she slammed her fists down on the Otsutsuki sending him crashing back into the ground.

Kurama began to disappear as Naruto formed a Rasengan in his hand and Sasuke formed a Chidori. The two charged ahead straight at the man that was limping to his feet.

They put their hands together as Sasuke added Amaterasu flames to the attack and Naruto added a small Tailed Beast Bomb to the attack. "This is going to hurt!" They said as they charged forward forcing their hands into the man.

Rin turned back into Isobu as the massive turtle grabbed Sakura and protected her from the massive blast.

XXXX

Kakashi had lost track of Deidara but he could still sense Mirai nearby. He rounded the corner as he saw Hidan stab himself.

"Ah!" Mirai screamed clutching her side. "Kakashi!" The girl screamed looking past her attacker at the Uchiha.

"It's the virgin!" Hidan cheered. "Lord Jashin I've brought you a virgin!" He screamed before ripping the stake out of his stomach and forcing it into his eye.

Kakashi had his Sharingan activated as he saw Mirai's eye explode inside of her skull as she fell to the ground. "You, you." He said as he felt the chakra pulsing in his eyes. "You killed her!" He screamed as the chakra around him stilled.

Hidan let the seal fade as the girl was already dead. "Now it's daddy's turn." He said looking at Asuma who was staring in shock.

"I'm going to fucking kill you!" Kakashi screamed as he appeared in front of Hidan with his fist pulled back.

Hidan noticed the regular Sharingan was replaced with something different. Kakashi's eyes were pitch black except for what looked like three red blades in the blackness. "Die you bastard!" Kakashi screamed as he drove his fist into Hidan's stomach and twisted it on impact.

Kakashi glared ahead as his enemy was hurled away from him. He was gritting his teeth and staring ahead.

He opened his eyes wider and appeared in front of Hidan driving his fist into the man's chest. "You piece of shit!" Kakashi screamed as he kicked Hidan into the air. "Open Gate of Pain!" He screamed as he jumped into the air and his fists were moving faster than anyone watching could follow before he slammed both fists down launching him into the earth.

Hidan sat up and started laughing. "This is great." He said. "Where have you been…" He stopped as Kakashi appeared in front of him, his hair standing on end and his fist wrapped around the Immortal's throat.

"You bastard." Kakashi screamed as he pulled his fist back. He didn't notice the small white bird next to him that exploded separating him from his target.

"Hidan we need to get out of here." Deidara said limping over to the Immortal. "This kid is too much for us."

"Come with me." Zetsu said growing out of the ground. "We're done here." He said as he brought the other two into the ground.

Kakashi landed where the two had been destroying the ground around him. "Damn you!" He screamed to the sky.

XXXX

Kuroto wathed Kakashi from a distance with her jaw slack. She slowly covered her mouth as she started to cry hearing the screams of pain Kakashi was making as he continued to slam his fists into the ground.

"Come back!" He screamed at the ground. "I'm not done with you!" He screamed as his fist collided with the ground.

"Kakashi." She said to him.

"Damn you!" Kakashi said as his fist hit the ground again.

"Kakashi." Kuroto said reaching out to him.

"Gah!" Kakashi screamed as he disappeared instantly.


	30. Chapter 30

Naruto slowly opened his eyes and saw that he was in the hospital. He groaned as the piercing light burned his eyes. "Damn!" He said rubbing his face.

"Finally up?" Came Tsunade's voice.

"Guess so." Naruto said trying to sit up. "What am I here for?"

"Chakra exhaustion." Tsunade said back quickly. "Besides that and some burns on your arm you're fine."

"How's the village?" Naruto asked leaning back. "I know it can't be good."

Tsunade was quiet for a moment before she started to tell Naruto about the causualties.

XXXX

Rin was pacing back and forth in her house when the door opened. "Kakashi!" She shouted looking at the door.

"Sorry." Sakura said not looking at her. "I was hoping he'd come back."

"He hasn't." Rin said biting on her nails. "Kuroto was the last person to see him."

"Does he know?" Sakura asked.

Rin slowly nodded her head. "He saw it happen." She started to cry as she sat down on the couch.

Sakura quickly walked over to her and wrapped her arm around her teacher. "I'm sure he'll be back, he just needs time."

Rin sniffled hard before standing up again. "Kakashi can handle himself, have you heard anything about Itachi?"

"No." Sakura said shaking her head. "Sasuke is still out looking for him."

"I hate this!" Rin shouted. "My entire family is hurting and there's nothing that I can do!"

"You can't blame yourself." Sakura said walking in front of her and putting her hands on the Uchiha's shoulders. "You did everything you could to protect the village just like all the others."

"But I couldn't even protect my own son." Rin said back with anger laced in her voice.

Sakura was shocked to see that side of Rin, but was reminded of how she felt when she found out about Minato. She hugged the woman again, "I'm so sorry." She said as tears started to escape from her eyes.

XXXX

Naruto slowly nodded after Tsunade told him about everything including his former student. He took a breath before standing up.

"You need more rest." Tsunade said standing in front of him.

"I need to find him." Naruto said pushing past the Sannin.

"No." Tsunade said pushing him back down.

"Granny." Naruto said looking at the ground. "When the people you care about are hurting is there anything that you'd let stop you from helping them?"

"No." Tsunade answered honestly.

"Good." Naruto said nodding his head. "Hearing you say that tells me that I haven't gone off the deep end."

"What are you saying?" Tsunade asked backing away as she felt the chakra building up from the blond.

"I'm saying, get out of my way." Naruto said looking up revealing his slitted eyes. He stood up and walked out of the room ignoring everyone that passed him.

Once he made it out of the hospital he bent his legs as he activated his chakra mode and jumped into the air with a thunderous boom.

XXXX

Minato was sitting at the edge of a dock looking out ahead at the water in front of him when he heard someone sit next to them. He didn't have to look to know who it was, their chakra was distinguishable enough.

"Did they find him?" Kasai asked.

"Kakashi or Itachi?" The blond asked staring blankly ahead.

"Either of them?" She asked.

"No." Minato said shaking her head. "And Sarada locked herself in her room and refuses to talk to me."

"Oh." The girl replied looking out across the water with him. "I heard you saved her by yourself, that's pretty cool."

"Doesn't matter." Minato said slowly standing back to his feet. "People died anyway and where was I? Hiding with the other civilians while my parents and friends risked their lives."

"But your injury." Kasai said glancing at his leg.

"You don't think I know about my leg?" He asked looking down at her. "I think about the damn thing every step I take. It isn't strong and it never will be. Do you know what I realized while I was hiding in that dark room with everyone else?"

"What?" Kasai asked quietly and slumping her shoulders.

"I know why everyone in my family wants to be a ninja; hell even I knew before I became one."

"Why?" She asked hoping he'd have a reason for any of this.

Minato took a long breath. "It's because we can't just stand around while the people we care about suffer. As shinobi we can do something about it instead of just suffering through it and watching. Life isn't a spectator sport and I need to do something about it." He said before turning around.

"What are you going to do?" She asked turning around.

Minato took a breath. "There are three ways I can think of that I can protect the ones I love." He turned around to look at her. "And you're going to help me with one of them."

XXXX

Naruto landed in a clearing and slowly walked forward. The ground was still trudged up from the battle that took place here once. He could even see the footprints from the way the fighters were pushing off the ground.

"How did you find me?" Kakashi asked staring at a tree in front of him.

"I knew this was the only place you'd be." Naruto said putting his hands in his pockets and standing beside Kakashi looking at the tree as well. "When did you write that?"

"Last time I came past here on a mission." The Uchiha said calmly. "You can't stop me from killing him."

"Wasn't planning on it." Naruto said. "I would've done the same if it were Sakura." He flexed his shoulders at the thought.

"He deserves to die." Kakashi said as he balled his fists.

"Yeah he does." Naruto said nodding along.

"She didn't deserve this." Kakashi said shaking his head. "Anyone else but her, why not me?"

"You can't think that way." Naruto replied not looking at him. "Right now there are other people who need your help."

"I don't want to hear about any of it." Kakashi said with anger laced in his voice. "I already know about Itachi." He said his teeth grinding. "I failed two of my students. Now do you believe I'm not right for the job?" He asked turning to Naruto with his Mangekyo active.

"No." Naruto said calmly. "I've never doubted your ability, not even for a moment."

"What do you know?" Kakashi spat back. "You've failed just as much as I have."

"You're wrong." Naruto said clenching his fists.

"How can I be wrong about this?" Kakashi asked squaring his body against Naruto's. "Bai and Mirai are dead Naruto, are you not getting that? Only one of your students is still alive and that's from luck and genetics. It has nothing to do with you or even me."

"I know!" Naruto snapped turning on Kakashi. "And my last living student is a self hating cry baby. Your mother is home right now worried sick about you." He said pointing back towards the village. "Two of my students are dead." Naruto said poking him in the chest. "One of yours is missing and the other got injured." He said his red slitted eyes staring back into the black mangekyo. "Your team is alive and well, that is why you are the best man for the job."

"I can't do this anymore." Kakashi said turning away from the man.

"Your father would be ashamed of you." Naruto said at Kakashi's back.

The air was silent as the two stood not looking at one another. Kakashi began shaking, Naruto wasn't sure if it was from tears or he was shaking with rage.

"What did you just say?" Kakashi asked not turning around.

"I said your father would be ashamed of you." Naruto said strongly. "He had to kill his best friend himself. Even after that he still pushed past the pain and did his duty to your mother and me. He didn't disappear and hide, you said you wanted to be better than him and I don't know if you ever will be. You're a coward!" Naruto spat pointing at the Uchiha.

"I trained you better than that." Naruto said feeling Kurama's chakra surging through his body. "I trained all of you to never give and never go back on your word. Bai and Mirai held true to that training until their last breaths and here you are spitting on their memory."

"Shut up!" Kakashi screamed turning around and grabbing the Hokage's shirt. "You don't know what the hell you're talking about."

"Yes I do!" Naruto screamed grabbing Kakashi's hands and tightening his grip on them. "When I was twelve years old I watched my best friend and brother taken away by a mad man. I fought to stop him but I couldn't because I wasn't enough. Don't you talk to me about not knowing, I was you!"

"Then why did you never teach us how to handle this?" Kakashi screamed in the bond's face. "Huh? You're the damn Hokage and you fought and won a war that was supposed to bring peace to our world and yet 19 years later we still need ninja. What did killing Orochimaru all those years ago accomplish, there will always be another Orochimaru and this one is coming after our family again!"

"And what are you going to do about it?" Naruto asked glaring back at him. "Are you going to just hide from your responsibility to our family and to your village, or are you going to stand back up and work with me so that we can take out the people after our family?"

Kakashi pushed Naruto away and looked at the man as he was breathing heavy. "What do you have in mind?"

"Nothing right now." Naruto said shaking his head.

"When the time comes." Kakashi said his eyes finally returning to normal. "Hidan is mine."

"Deal." Naruto said extending his hand out to the Uchiha.

Kakashi took it as his eyes shifted back to their Mangekyo state. "Hang on."

"Wha…" Naruto was cut off as the two of them disappeared.

On the tree that they had been looking at the words. "Might Bai, Youthful in life, hero in death." Were carved into the trunk.

XXXX

"He's waking up." Came an exciteable voice. "Maybe he'll know!"

"Don't bother him with that." Came a gruff voice.

"Oh let him have his fun." Came a softer voice.

"You are too soft on him." The gruff voice said once again.

"Wha?" Itachi asked sitting up slowly. "Where am I?"

"With friends." Zetsu said looking at him. "The Leaf was under attack so we rescued you."

"Thanks." Itachi said smiling at his friend. "When can I go home?"

"It's not safe for you there." Zetsu replied. "There are people out there that want you dead and they can get to you in the Leaf. Here you're safe."

"Thanks I guess." Itachi said looking up at his friend as his eyes shifted from their normal black coloring to purple eyes with rings going through them. "You're always looking out for me."

"What are friends for?" Zetsu asked cocking his head to the side.


	31. Chapter 31

Sasuke pushed the door open, the sweat pouring down his face and he was breathing heavily. "Any luck?" Rin asked running up to the Uchiha who looked ready to pass out.

"None." He said shaking his head as she led him to the couch. "Made it halfway to The Land of Lightning before I realized without a trail I could be going the wrong way entirely."

"He'll turn up." Rin said running into the kitchen and coming back with a glass of water.

"Did Kakashi come back?" He asked half out of breath.

"Not yet." Rin said shaking her head with a sad look on her face. "Naruto walked out of the hospital though."

Without any sings of movement Naruto and Kakashi were in the room. Naruto immediately covered his mouth before running into the bathroom. "What was that?" Sasuke asked confused. "He never gets sick from the Flying Thunder God."

"Because that's not what it is." Kakashi said looking to his uncle and mother causing Rin to gasp and Sasuke to let out a sigh.

"It makes sense." Sasuke said leaning back in the chair. "Obito had a time space jutsu. Itachi used a variant of the Amaterasu. It stands to reason that close family would have similar abilities."

Rin stood up and smacked Kakashi on the cheek. "Don't you ever disappear on me like that again." She said with her finger pointed in his face before pulling him into a hug. "I don't care that you're a jonin you're still my baby boy."

For the first time in his life Kakashi didn't return his mother's hug and both people in the room noticed.

Naruto came out of the bathroom looking green. "You can't use that." He said pointing at Kakashi.

"Why not?" The Uchiha asked talking with much more hostility than he normally did.

"You'll go blind." Sasuke replied slowly standing to his feet. "Until we can figure out a way to stop that you can't use those eyes unless there is no other option."

"Fine." The Uchiha said walking up the stairs.

"Is he ok?" Rin asked the still queasy Naruto.

"I have no idea." Naruto said bending over and breathing heavily. "Is the room spinning? It feels like the room is spinning." Naruto stood up straight taking another deep breath. "After I found him we talked and it got pretty intense. We both said some things that we may regret in the morning, but you can't just bounce back from something like that." Naruto said before looking to Sasuke.

"What?" The Uchiha asked.

"He reminds me of how you were with your brother." Naruto said sternly. "The only way I was able to get him calm enough to come home was to tell him that he would be the one to avenge Mirai."

"Hidan." Sasuke said calmly already knowing who did it. "From what I've heard once it happened Kakashi was like an entirely different person."

"Who saw?" Naruto asked crossing his arms.

"Asuma was there but I doubt he noticed anything at all." Sasuke said leaning forward. "And Kuroto Nii was there as well."

"Damn." Naruto said rubbing his head. "I need to go talk with the other Kage about what happened. First Kinshiki and Momoshiki show up and then these other people come out of nowhere and left." Naruto walked towards the exit. "If you need anything I'll either be at the Hokage mansion or at home sleeping."

Rin waved goodbye to Naruto as he shut the door behind himself. "We'll find him Sasuke." She said sitting on the couch beside Sasuke.

"I should've gone after the kids." Sasuke said gritting his teeth. "Hell if it wasn't for Minato, Sarada could've been hurt too."

Rin nodded her head in agreement. "I have no idea where he would've known to do that. The punch he threw was harder than anything Sakura or I could use."

"Unless you used Isobu." Sasuke pointed out. "You saw what those Nii girls could do, and Kakashi and Minato are just like them." He added looking at the stairs. "He's going to be ok." Sasuke said before standing up. "Naruto and I won't let him end up like I did." He added heading out the door. "If you want my door's always open, but right now I think sleep would be best, for all of us." Sasuke said looking up at the moon.

"Tomorrow is this the world we have to wake up to?" Rin asked before Sasuke left.

"It's the same world it's always been." Sasuke said before walking away and heading to his own home.

XXXX

Kakashi watched as Sasuke walked away and went into his own home before he snuck out the window and made his way into the rest of the village. He kept his head down to avoid anyone noticing him. With Itachi gone Sasuke and Hinata would most likely be home. Sakura would be worrying about Minato so there wasn't much chance of anyone coming to look for him he thought as he rounded a corner into an alley.

"Hey." Came a voice from behind him.

Kakashi stiffened but didn't turn around.

"Want one?" Came the voice.

"You know I don't." Kakashi said before he started walking again.

"It was her decision." Came the other voice. "I don't know if I'm telling you this to make me feel better or in some attempt to clear your conscience, but it's true."

Kakashi let out a breath. "With all due respect, I need to be alone right now."

"I understand." The voice replied before Kakashi heard a spark and a sharp breath. "I know it's not my place, but when I was in her room earlier I found something I think you should have."

Kakashi slowly turned around and came face to face with Asuma who looked like he hadn't slept in weeks. The only thing that seemed to be keeping him alive was the cigarette in his mouth. Asuma handed a folded up piece of paper to Kakashi before turning around. "Don't feel like you need to be a stranger." Asuma said as he puffed smoke into the air before walking away from the Uchiha and rejoining the rest of the crowd.

Kakashi tucked the paper into his pocket before he continued walking. He ended up finding himself in the same place he always did, on top of the Hokage monument. He sat down on his father's head and took a deep breath before he reached into his pocket to fish out the letter. He stared at the folded piece of paper terrified to read it.

After a moment he built up the courage and unfolded the note and started to read the scribbles.

"Dear Kakashi." The note began. "I guess that's how you're supposed to start one of these. For a long time I've been thinking about us and what we mean to each other, so I wrote this note in case you won the tournament. The day that we were assigned to the same team I was so excited, not just because I got to tell my mom that I was going to be on the coolest kid in class' team, but because I saw something else inside of you. This burning desire for the right thing to be done, it was the same reason that Bai was drawn to you. It's why you thrived better than either of us under Naruto Sensei, it's also why you were the first of us to make Jonin. (Even though it only took me another month) I know it's silly to say but I've always felt like you were my best friend and that you were the person in the world that made me happiest. The bright smile you had was something I'd think about before I fell asleep, and whenever one of those smiles was for me it made my entire day. There were countless times during a mission where I was ready to give up because I thought all was lost. You'd turn around and smile to me and I'd know right then, that everything was going to be ok. I hope you never lose that trait, because Kakashi, that is why I love you. I know it's weird to think about, and right now it's even weirder to write about but I love you. Whenever I see the way my parents talk with one another and the looks in their eyes, whenever I've thought about who I want that with the answer was always the same, you. I love you Kakashi, now and forever."

The Uchiha looked away from the note as he gently folded it back up and put it into his pocket. The tears in his eyes continued to fall. "Damn." He said as he smacked his palm against the stone beneath him. "This is why you're supposed to be here you bastard." He said staring at the stone of his father's head. "There have been so many times I've wanted to talk to you, but right now it's something completely different."

He opened his eyes as realization hit him. He stood to his feet and walked to the edge of his father's head. He felt the breeze blowing through his black hair as he held his arms out and breathed deeply as he felt the slight push of the breeze. After another moment he started to lean forward.

"Don't!" He heard a scream as he felt someone grab onto his shirt and pull him back.


	32. Chapter 32

Kakashi was pulled off the edge as he fell on his butt. "What was that for?" He asked looking up at the person in front of him.

"You were going to jump!" Kuroto shouted at him.

"Yeah." Kakashi said standing up and rubbing his butt. "It's the fastest way to the bottom of the mountain."

"You're joking?" Kuroto said slumping her shoulders.

"No I'm not." Kakashi said narrowing his eyes at the Cloud Ninja. "What were you doing up here anyway?"

"I was trying to find my sister." She said looking out over the village. "Last time I went looking for her she was up here with the Uzumaki brat."

"Minato." Kakashi replied. "His name is Minato."

"I know what his name is." Kuroto replied as her face slumped in sadness. "I'm sorry about what happened."

"Don't be." Kakashi said looking out over the village. "I'm glad to hear that your sister is safe."

"It's because of her." Kuroto said looking at her feet.

"Who?" Kakashi asked not looking at her.

"That girl with the red eyes." Kuroto replied balling her fists. "I have no idea where anything is here, but she did. If it weren't for her me and my sister could've gotten caught up in that battles that were out of our leagues."

"She was always very talented." Kakashi said crossing his arms. "Out of all of us I thought she'd be the one to grow old. Me and Bai were so reckless." He saw the slight confused look on her face out of the corner of his eye. "My other teammate."

"Oh." Kuroto said nodding her head. She shook off the emotion as she felt the need to change the subject. "You know, you and I never got to finish our match. No champion Jonin was decided."

"Doesn't matter." Kakashi said looking up at the moon in the sky. "All that matters is getting Itachi home." He said as his fists clenched along with his jaw. He relaxed when he felt a gently touch on his shoulder.

"We'll get him back." Kuroto said looking into his eyes with kindness in her own.

"What do you mean we?" Kakashi asked.

"I was with her when Itachi was taken." Kuroto said looking up at the moon. "In a way I'm responsible, so I'm going to help you bring him home."

"Why would you do that for me?" Kakashi asked the girl. "We barely know eachother."

Kuroto shrugged her shoulder. "My mom is having me and Kasai stay here for the time being to help the village in any way. Might as well help you with this."

Kakashi turned to her narrowing his eyes at her. "And what do you want in return?"

"A real fight." Kuroto said putting her hands on her hips. "And none of that crap you were pulling in the arena, I saw what you did to that guy, I want to fight that Kakashi."

"Deal." Kakashi said reaching his hand out to her. "Now for payback on stopping me from getting to the bottom." He said as he tightened his grip around her hand.

"Don't you dare." Kuroto said narrowing her eyes. "My mother is the Raikage."

"We're standing on my dad's head." Kakashi said as he started leaning off the side. "Trust me." He said as he let his feet slip and he started to fall to the ground holding onto Kuroto.

"Damn you!" She screamed as she clutched onto him. She glanced up at his face as she pulled herself close to him. He had a look of pure confidence that made her almost forget what was happening.

Kakashi quickly pulled out two kunai and slammed one of them into the side of the mountain as they slid. He looked up for a moment at his father's head as they continued to cut through the stone.

Kuroto noticed the other deep gashes in the rock.

With only a few more feet Kakashi pushed off the wall with Kuroto still holding onto him. The two landed on the ground slightly bending their knees on impact.

"Never do that to me again." Kuroto said looking at him with a slight blush. "You're insane."

Kakashi chuckled for the first time that day. "Thanks." He said to the girl as he started walking away. "I'll be in touch."

Kuroto found herself smiling at the departing Uchiha. She shook her head quickly and took on her normal serious face once again as she continued her search for her sister.

XXXX

The next day Minato was standing in a training field with Kasai in front of him. The boy was grunting as he was moving his chakra around inside his body.

"The first time you can't just will it to happen." Kasai said sitting on the ground near him with a glass of tea in her hands. "It just happens one day when you really need it."

Minato stopped pushing as he fell back onto the ground looking up at the sky. "You ok?" Kasai asked not turning around to look at the boy.

"Yeah." Minato said looking at the clouds going by.

"I heard about what you did during the attack." Kasai said taking a sip.

"What do you mean?" He asked glancing over to her.

"You saved your friend, what was her name?" She said setting the tea down.

"Sarada." Minato replied closing his eyes.

"Must've felt pretty cool being the hero for your girlfriend." Kasai said staring ahead of her.

"She's not my girlfriend!" Minato said sitting up quickly and waving his hands around. "We're just friends, I think." He said scratching his chin.

Kasai smiled but she hid it from Minato. "Either way, you still got to be the hero." She stood to her feet as Minato felt her moving around her Biju chakra until it bubbled outside of her body. "Remember how you felt in that moment, and pull from that."

Minato nodded as he slowly stood up, he leg shaking a bit as he did. He closed his eyes and remembered the split second where he decided to save Sarada. The burst of energy and determination he felt in that split second, where it was all or nothing. He closed his eyes took a deep breath before opening his eyes and screaming. "Gah!" He screamed as he pushed as much chakra out of his body as he could.

Kasai watched with a quick yawn and scratched her ear in a cat like manner. "That was a lot of chakra, but not a drop of it was Biju." She said letting her chakra turn back to normal. "Have you ever talked to the Kyuubi?" She asked sitting back down on the ground.

Minato shook his head no as he slowly sat down as well. "Never had a reason too. Sometimes he and dad talk, and sometimes he dad, Aunt Rin and Isobu talk, but that's super rare."

Kasai nodded her head in understanding. "Maybe that's it." She said smiling as an idea formed in her head. "You need to talk to him."

"What, why?" Minato asked nervous.

"Because Kuroto and I talk to Matatabi all the time." She said with a slight smile on her face. "She's almost like a second mom to us."

"Hmm." Minato said crossing his legs and his arms. "How do you talk to her?"

"I just need to touch my mom and have Matatabi let me in." Kasai said smiling brightly.

"From what dad's said about Kurama he might not be a fan of that idea." Minato said thinking thoroughly. "The only people I know that he's talked to willingly is my dad and Aunt Rin. And that's only because Isobu was there too."

"Matatabi was right." Kasai said with a sigh. "Kurama is a drama queen."

Minato stiffened at the thought. "I get the feeling he would hate to hear someone say that to him."

"Probably." Kasai said standing to her feet and extending her hand to Minato. "Come on, let's see if your dad will help us out."

"Now?" Minato asked shocked.

"Did you have a better time in mind?" She asked chuckling at the boy.

"No." Minato grumbled grabbing her hand as she pulled him back to his feet. "Race you." Minato said smiling at the girl.

Kasai laughed as she started to walk faster than him.

"Hey wait." Minato said struggling to keep up. "I was joking!"

XXXX

Rin wiped the sweat from her brow as she walked out of the hospital having just finished her shift. Most of the villagers were physically fine after the battles. Their homes however took a severe hit, just the Tailed Beasts alone even just in the stadium cost millions in damages. Let alone the fighting that spilled out into the village against the people who took Itachi.

Rin walked through her usual path when she realized where she was standing. She could still see the pattern stained into the ground. "This is where it happened." She said as she covered her mouth in shock.

She looked ahead to a building and realized that must've been where Kakashi was standing when he saw Mirai die. Looking around the area she saw the destruction that was caused by her son's pain after it happened.

She heard footsteps coming from behind her. She started to walk farther when she heard her name. "Rin?" Came a quivering voice.

The Uchiha woman turned around to see Kurenai standing and holding a bouquet of flowers. "Kurenai, I'm so sorry I haven't been over sooner, I just don't know what to say."

Kurenai sadly looked at the flowers in her hands. They were the same shade of red as her and her daughter's eyes. "I understand." She said nodding her head. "I didn't know what to say after Bai died." She looked up at Rin with pleading eyes that tears were starting to well up in. "Could you just stay with me for a bit while I set out her flowers?"

"Of course." Rin said walking back towards her friend that continued to walk towards the grave yard. Rin had been to too many funerals in her life, and she would have to this one as well. "When is the funeral?" She asked gazing at the numerous headstones.

"This weekend." Kurenai said calmly as they made their way to a blank spot. The Hokage is planning to do a large funeral for everyone who lost someone, just like they did when Lord Third passed."

Rin nodded, she remembered Naruto saying something like that. "I wish there was some way that I could help."

Kurenai choked for a moment as she clutched the flowers in her hands tighter. "I'm sorry." She said shaking her head. "I should be able to control myself better."

"No." Rin said hugging the woman. "No parent should ever have to bury their child."

Kurenai gulped down the emotion as she gently pushed Rin away. "Thank you for caring so much, you've always been a good friend to me. How is Kakashi?"

Rin looked at the blank spot on the ground that must've been meant for Mirai. "I'm not really sure. Naruto was the only one that was able to find him and talk him into coming back to the village. When he talks now he sounds like Sasuke used to."

"Vengeance." Kurenai said nodding. "I'd be lying if I didn't want it too. But Kakashi and Asuma saw it happen, and Asuma is just locking his emotions away."

Rin nodded her head. "Does he blame himself?"

Kurenai slowly nodded her head. "That monster said that when he used his curse that one of them was going to be affected. Asuma hates himself for not being the one the curse used, he thinks if it had been Kakashi would've been able to save Mirai."

"Is there anything you need?" She asked turning to her red eyed friend.

"Just stand here a while longer please." Kurenai said as tears fell silently down her face.

 **AN: Posting this now because tomorrow I got one hell of a chapter ready for you all next time. It's something that I've never done before and I've been wanting to do for a while now.**


	33. Chapter 33

Kakashi stood in front of the mirror in his room. He hated having to wear this thing. It was either tied to lightly or too loose and nothing he ever did got it right. The sleeves were also unreasonably baggy and dangled off his outstretched arm a foot down.

But he was just finding something to distract himself. This was the traditional mourning garb the Uchiha would wear to funerals. Instead of the Uchiha crest being on the back as it usually was this outfit put it on the sleeves. Sasuke had told him it was because it was in the Uchiha nature to hide their emotions and it was a reminder to not bottle up grief.

He let out a breath and made his way downstairs. His mother had already left the house early to go and help with the ceremony, and be there as one of the jinchuuriki in attendance. All Five Kage had stayed in the village until the funeral out of respect and they would all be leaving tomorrow. Yugito and Utakata decided to leave ninjas in the village to aid in repairs, including the Nii sisters and some people that Sasuke knew from his years with the Sound.

He walked out the door and started to walk towards the graveyard. He could see the footprints in the dirt that led from Sasuke and Hinata's house. He counted three sets of feet. He grimaced at that, three. Just like it was mocking him for his failure. His jaw clenched as he put his hands together in the massive sleeves to hide how tightly he was balling his fists.

If it had been any other day he would've been happy to be alive and out in the village. It wasn't too hot, and it wasn't too cold with a slight breeze that brought smells from all over the village together. The village was quiet today though, usually these funerals were only held when a Hokage died. There was one when Minato Namikaze died, there was one when Hiruzen Sarutobi passed, and Kakashi had even been at the one for his own father and the rest of those lost at war. He didn't remember it though, but from what he had been told it was a very tasteful ceremony that was fitting for a hero.

Mirai on the other hand was going to be forgotten just like any other ninja that died. He glanced up at the Hokage monument. They would be remembered forever as they watched over the village even in death, but she will be forgotten to time.

He gently rubbed his hand over the headband on his forehead and felt the crease of the paper tucked behind the metal plate. He choked down the emotions he was feeling as he realized he was standing in front of the cemetery. He continued to walk up as he heard the feint murmurs of the people in attendance. It was all in quiet hushed tones to seem respectful of what was going on.

Kakashi looked around and saw all the familiar faces of the villagers. Neji was standing proudly while his wife Ino cried into a tissue she was holding. Their son Hino wasn't fairing any better as he may have been the loudest in attendance, he was never good at holding his emotions in.

Beside Neji the Nara family stood. Shikamaru stood tall and proud holding back anything he was feeling. But it was clear to everyone that knew him that he was hurting right now, he stood rigid instead of his usual lax posture. Temari stood with her head down in respect for the fallen.

The biggest shocker was that Shikadai wasn't standing with them. If Kakashi had to guess he wasn't going to come. If he was honest he didn't want to be here either, but he also knew he'd hate himself if he wasn't. He never went to Bai's funeral and it was one of the greatest mistakes of his young life.

He took a breath as tears threatened to start falling. Next he saw the Akimichi family. Choji was silently crying along with Karui and Chocho.

He glanced over and saw that Hinata was sitting beside Kurenai as the older woman openly wept into her former student's shoulder. Asuma was standing beside them with an unlit cigarette in his mouth. He and Kakashi had similar duties as the head of their clans to show strength in difficult circumstances. But he couldn't think of a single person in the village who would dare to mock Asuma for showing emotion now.

Kakashi took his seat beside Sasuke as Naruto stood in front of the Will of Fire statue as he began to talk about what it means to lose someone. If anyone else had been up at the podium right now he was sure he would've lost it, but luckily Naruto knew Mirai well enough to talk about her life. Unfortunately he wasn't able to talk about her long before he moved onto the others that died during the invasion. It seemed that Mirai was one of the unlucky few to lose their lives during the attack, other than her it was just a few people who refused to get into the bunkers.

Kakashi glanced over once again as he saw Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji all put unlit cigarettes in their mouths as Asuma lit the one in his mouth. He grit his teeth tighter as Naruto moved out of the way and the priest came forward to speak. Every moment of it was agonizing as the man talked about people he didn't even know.

Sasuke rested his hand on Kakashi's shoulder as he shook his head no. The younger Uchiha got the message, this was not the place to make a scene. He looked past Sasuke and saw Sarada standing tall as she tried to fight the tears in her eyes. The only member of his team that he didn't fail outright, but he still wasn't adequate.

Kakashi looked over as Naruto took his seat with the other Kage who all were wearing the traditional mourning attire from their villages. The all kept their heads bowed in respect to the fallen "heroes". That's what they would be called, "heroes." Rather than remember their names, hero was what they would just be referred to as from now on. In a month life would return to normal for most people in the village, they had the privilege of being happy, while those who knew Mirai would have to live in a world without her constant optimism.

Kakashi touched his headband again making sure the paper was still safely tucked away. Once he felt the creased edge he put his hands back together and continued to watch the ceremony.

It went further on without much of anything happening. Kakashi had transitioned from holding back the tears to feeling absolutely nothing at all. The reception had moved to the outside of the Hokage mansion because it was such a nice day. He stared ahead at the plate of cookies, and dango and other comfort foods but nothing looked worth eating right now. The thought of eating made him feel nauseuous so he walked away from the table keeping his distance from people.

Some of them however made their way through and still said how sorry they were for his loss. He did the long rehearsed thank you that the Uchiha were expected to give. He zoned out as the older villagers told him how much he looked like his father. He assumed they did it trying to cheer him up but all it did was bore him. He had grown up hearing the same thing, hell Asuma said it before the battle started. At this point in his life Obito Uchiha wasn't his father, he was a person that he would be compared to for the rest of his life.

Kakashi Uchiha never had a father, and that was something that he had accepted. All Obito Uchiha was, was something to overcome and beat one day.

He was pulled from his thoughts as someone else started meaningless conversation with him. He couldn't tell anyone what the conversation was about, he was just nodding along as this stranger felt the need to talk to him now. He exhaled as the person laughed about something and patted him on the shoulder. Kakashi just watched the way this person seemed to be able to laugh at a time like this, he hated this man. He stood there telling some meaningless story to a complete stranger, and at a funeral no less.

Hate wasn't a new emotion for Kakashi, but this was the first time he felt it for someone when he didn't even know their name. Before today he hated two people, Shion, the man that killed Bai, and Hidan. Now however he also hated this man in front of him. Shion was dead so he would never get to watch him die. For all he knew there wasn't a damn thing he could do to kill Hidan, doesn't mean he wasn't going to try. Now this man was on the list and Kakashi didn't even know who he was.

With one last pat on the arm the man laughed and dismissed himself from Kakashi's company. Kakashi glared at the mans shrinking form as he made his way away from the reception.

The rest of the reception went by with nearly everyone leaving Kakashi alone. The only exceptions he didn't mind was his family. His mother came by to make sure he was fine, after a grunt she knew it would be best to leave him be.

Hinata didn't leave Kurenai's side the entire time and the rest of her genin team was never far in case she needed anything.

Asuma sat with his former team and their families as they tried to talk about something, anything but they couldn't. Hino had only been able to calm down but so much and it didn't help the mood for everyone in the area.

And why should they be allowed to escape the mind numbing, crushing, and excruciating feeling that he was feeling? Today was about suffering, anyone who laughed and smiled was a traitor in Kakashi's mind. A traitor to what Mirai died for, what every fallen ninja in the village died for.

Suddenly it became clear why so many people over the years had wanted to see the village destroyed. It was filled with self-righteous and selfish people that benefitted from the constant death surrounding them, and pretended that none of it would ever affect them.

Kakashi felt a hand land on his shoulder. In a split second he decided that if it was that bastard again he would kill him. Not another thought, he had more than enough power. All it would take would be for Kakashi to teleport the two of them 900 feet in the air let go of the man and that would be the end of it.

He held off on activating his Sharingan when he noticed that it was just Sasuke who decided to sit next to him. He talked about how he understood what it meant to lose someone. He still vividly remembered the Uchiha massacre and how he felt afterwards. He then talked about how if it weren't for the people around him he would've been consumed by a need for vengeance.

Why shouldn't Kakashi want to see Hidan suffer for as long as it takes to kill him? He's a criminal, he's part of the group that's hunting his sensei and mother, he's the man who killed Mirai. He couldn't think of a reason not to kill him. Vengeance sounded good, vengeance sounded right.

Sasuke saw the wheels turning behind Kakashi's eyes and saw the look he had seen in his own eyes years ago. And he only knew of one person that could bring him out of the funk he was in.

Sasuke patted Kakashi on the shoulder before getting up and walking back to his family.

Hours passed as everyone else went home. The tables and chairs were cleaned up and put away leaving Kakashi alone outside the Hokage Mansion. He decided that standing here wouldn't do him any good. However he couldn't remember how but the next thing he knew he was standing in front of a fresh grave.

He looked at the letters, he knew what they meant but they could never mean enough. The small inscription called her, "Ninja, friend, daughter." Is that all that people will ever be remembered as? Their profession, something to sound nice, and their gender referring to their familial status. At the end of your life that is what it all boils down to.

Life is like trudging through an endless swamp of shit and when you get to the end there's nothing waiting for you. And everyone else who had been on the journey with you loses someone they care about.

He balled his fists as blood started to come from his palms and his Mangekyo burned as he stared at the godforsaken stone. He felt the tears streaming from his eyes as he finally started to feel things again.

Both of his best friends were gone and there wasn't a damn thing he could've done to stop it. In that moment Kakashi made a silent vow to himself. He would never again watch as someone he cared about died, he would give his life in a heartbeat if it meant that someone he loved got to walk away.

That was a promise, a promise of a lifetime.


	34. Chapter 34

Sakura rolled over in her bed and saw the sun peaking through the blinds. She felt the spot where Naruto usually slept and found it cold. "He never came home." She said to herself. After the funeral she had taken Minato back home and Naruto disappeared.

She groggily got out of bed and stretched her arms out. She quickly took her morning shower and put on her usual red clothes with the Uzumaki symbol on the back. She walked down the stairs and found scrolls littering the living room. "Minato!" She shouted.

Out of the mountain of scrolls a blond head popped out and looked around with drool on the side of his face. "What?" He asked blinking in an attempt to wake up.

"What have I told you about picking up after yourself?" Sakura said as a vein grew on her forehead.

Minato looked around the room. "I was studying." He said pushing the scrolls off himself.

"Really?" Sakura asked crossing her arms in frustration. "I couldn't tell!"

Minato chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck as Sakura turned away and looked into the kitchen. "Have you seen your father?"

Minato shook his head. "Not since the funeral."

Sakura looked out the window. "I wonder where he is."

XXXX

Naruto was standing on top of a mountain. To him it was a very familiar mountain, it was the place where he battled Orochimaru. He was running through katas and had been working so hard and built up such a sweat that he had to take his shirt off.

He was breathing heavy when he realized what time it was. The other four Kage would be leaving the village today to return to their own homes. He stopped his motion mid punch when he felt Kurama starting to stir. The Hokage closed his eyes before opening them in front of the massive fox.

"The others are not happy you are out of the village." Kurama said with his perpetual snarl.

"I figured." Naruto said nodding his head. "I just needed to be alone for a while, or at least as alone as I can get."

"Cheeky brat." Kurama growled. "But we do need to get back or Matatabi will never let me hear the end of it."

"Fine." Naruto said waving the massive fox off. "I'll go back to the village."

XXXX

Shikamaru was pacing in Naruto's office. "Where is he?" He grumbled to himself.

"I'm sure he'll be here." Sasuke said calmly sitting in the couch. "Even he isn't dumb enough to not be here for this."

Shikamaru smirked but shook off the smile for a moment before Naruto appeared in a flash of orange light. "What'd I miss?" He asked smiling at the two.

"Put on a shirt dobe." Sasuke grumbled.

"Oh." Naruto said noticing his shirtless body. "Yeah, can't do any Hokage stuff without that." He said as he put his head through the shirt.

"Now let's go." Shikamaru said walking out the door. "They're already waiting at the gate."

XXXX

At the gate Naruto walked to the front of the crowd where he saw the other Kage all standing with their guards. Roshi was talking with a pink eyed woman and a very large man next to her. Utakata was talking to two men with massive swords on their backs. Gaara was talking with his brother and former teacher Baki. And Yugito was standing with her husband C and Darui who all looked irritated.

Naruto smiled as he approached his fellow Kage. "Sorry I'm late." He said rubbing the back of his neck.

"It's fine." Yugito replied curtly. "I'm over it." She quickly turned her attention back to Naruto. "My girls are here Nine, I expect that they will be treated properly." She said pointing a finger in his face.

"Don't worry about that." C said putting his hand on her shoulder to calm her down. Kuroto can take care of herself and Kasai…"

Sasuke grinned before cutting off the blonde man. "Minato will be with her."

Naruto went wide eyed hearing what his brother had said as Yugito glared at him. "Rin told me about the threats she used to make." She said as her finger nails grew in length. "That goes for both of you."

Darui put his hands behind his head. "Please don't cause an international incident."

Sasuke chuckled as Naruto pulled on his collar as the Raikage turned back around. Gaara walked up to Naruto next and extended his hand out. "It was good to see you again Naruto, and I hope that next time it is under better circumstances."

"C'mon." Naruto said with a wink. "We both know it won't be."

Gaara smiled before looking towards Sasuke. "My ninja will be keeping an eye out for any sign of this new threat, as well as Itachi."

"Thank you." Sasuke said with a quick nod.

Gaara turned around and walked away having said his goodbyes.

"Well!" Roshi loudly yelled clapping Naruto hard on the back. "It was great seeing you again kiddo, but I best be getting back home."

"It was good to see you again Roshi." Naruto said smiling at the much shorter man. "If you see him tell Kokuo I say hi."

"Will do." Roshi said patting Naruto on the back again before walking away.

Utakata just gave a simple bow that Naruto returned before he went his own way as well.

Naruto let out a breath as the crowd started to disperse. Sasuke gave a grunt as he turned around to go back into the village.

"And then there were two." Rin said walking beside Naruto. "We'll see them again." She said patting him on the back.

"That's what I'm worried about." Naruto replied.

XXXX

"Do you ever take a break?" Kuroto asked waking up from her nap in the shade to see Kakashi still hard at work.

"Don't feel the need to." Kakashi said performing his katas. "Not all of us need cat naps." He said grinning to himself.

"Asshole." Kuroto said crossing her arms.

"I'm kind of shocked that you and your sister didn't go to see your mom and Dad off." Kakashi said finishing his routine.

"Me and Kasai said our goodbyes this morning." Kuroto stretching as she stood up before yawning.

Kakashi chuckled to himself as he started another routine.

"What?" Kuroto asked scratching her ear.

"You act like a cat." Kakashi said breaking his routine to stop and look at her.

"I do not!" Kuroto shouted.

"Do to." Kakashi said bending down and smirking at her.

"Do not!" Kuroto shouted, glaring at the Uchiha.

"Prove it." Kakashi said with a hint of mischief in his eyes.

"How?" She asked cocking her head to the side.

Kakashi held his hand out extending one finger to the girl before a small torrent of water splashed her in the face. "Gah!" She screamed getting out of the way. "What the hell was that for?"

"I was proving I was right." Kakashi said standing up straight and crossing his arms.

"No one likes being sprayed in the face!" She shouted wiping the water off of her face. "Asshole." She grumbled to herself.

"Now is that any way for a lady to talk?" Kakashi asked putting his hands behind his head.

"I am not a lady." She corrected standing up. "I am a Kunoichi from the Village Hidden in the Clouds! And don't you forget it." She added poking him in the chest.

"Don't plan to." Kakashi said turning around quickly. "I'm sorry if I insulted you."

Kuroto stepped back from the sudden shift in the air. Kakashi had gone from joking and teasing her to depressing in an instant. "It's fine." She said putting her hand on his shoulder that he shrugged off.

"I need to get back to training." He said as he took a few steps farther and resumed his katas. After a minute he realized that Kuroto had also started to perform her own katas in rhythm with his.

"Can you sense them?" Kuroto asked.

"Yeah." Kakashi said without nodding. "It's not like him to spy though."

"Are you thinking of what I'm thinking?" Kuroto asked as a mischievous gleam shown in her eyes.

"Already on it." Kakashi said showing no emotion.

XXXX

Minato ducked behind the bush next to Kasai. "Why are we spying on them again?" He asked the girl.

"We're working on our stealth skills." Kasai said taking a deep breath. "If we're going to get you back in shape we're going to have to start from the basics."

"You guys suck at this." Came a familiar voice from behind Minato.

"Oh no." The boy said with a gulp.

"Leaf Village Secret Finger Jutsu, One Thousand Years of Death!" Kakashi's clone said as he shoved his two index fingers into Minato's butt.

The boy's face went from fear to confusion followed immediately by pain as he jumped into the air before falling on his face in the open.

Kasai swung her foot smashing it into the clone as it exploded in water soaking her to the bone. "Eek!" The girl yelled realizing she was covered in water.

"You're both like cats." The real Kakashi said calmly to Kuroto.

"She's going to get you back for that." The older blonde said following along to Kakashi's movements.

"Pranks are an interesting way to test and improve your ninja abilities." Kakashi said stopping his movements. "They allow you to push your abilities against other ninjas in the art of stealth and improvisation. When Uncle Naruto first returned from his training trip when I was little, he pranked the Fifth Hokage."

"Seems dangerous for his career. How long until he was caught?" Kuroto asked standing next to the Uchiha as he watched the small Uzumaki boy rubbing his sore bottom and the Nii girl trying to dry herself off with fire jutsus.

"He revealed himself once he'd had his fun." Kakashi said only a glimpse of a smile showing. He absentmindedly rubbed his hand over his head band feeling the slight nick of the folded note.

Kuroto noticed the act but thought little of it as she saw Kasai walking over to the two Jonin. "Listen here!" She shouted pointing at Kakashi. "I don't care who you are, you can't just go around scaring people like that and then soaking them."

Kakashi put his finger to his chin and lightly tapped it. "I suppose you're right, but spying isn't any better." He said as he glanced down at the girl. "What do you say we call it even?" He asked extending his hand out to her.

Kuroto stepped away watching as her sister shook Kakashi's hand before once again he exploded drenching her in water once again. Kasai looked to her sister with a fire burning in her eyes. "I do not like him." She said as the water on her body began to steam. "Where is he?"

Kuroto grinned to her sister before pointing behind the girl. Kasai turned around and saw Kakashi sitting in a tree reading an orange book. "I know what that is!" She screamed seeing the familiar cover of the book. "Omoi has one!"

Kakashi folded the book up and put it into his pocket as he stood up on the tree branch. "What are you going to do about it?"

Kasai's eyes widened at his words. No one talked to her that way, even her opponents in combat knew to take her seriously, but here was someone that didn't seem to care if she did anything to him.

"I figured you out!" She screamed pointing at the man. "I challenge you to a spar!"

"Sure, why not?" Kakashi said with a shrug. "I'll only go at about half strength for ya."

Minato made his way over to Kuroto who was watching the fight closely. "You aren't going to stop this?" The blond boy asked.

"Nope." Kuroto said shaking her head. "She got herself into this, she can get herself out. Besides, there's something about his demeanor that tells me he won't do anything to hurt her."

"Lucky her." Minato said rubbing his butt.

Kasai took a deep breath before she jumped straight into the air pulling out a set of shuriken and throwing them away from Kakashi.

"What?" The Uchiha asked as he saw the Shuriken fly into the distance.

From behind a bush another Kakashi jumped out dodging the shurikens as he slid across the ground. He looked up to see that Kasai already had her leg in the air ready to smash him into oblivion. And at the last minute she saw the smirk appear on Kakashi's face.

Her foot made contact and just like before the clone exploded and soaked her before she felt a set of arms wrap around her and pinning her to the ground. "Do you surrender?" Kakashi asked holding her on the ground with his knee.

"How did you do that?" She asked struggling under his weight.

"You thought that I was a clone because of how I was toying with you." Kakashi said as he kept his knee down. "Not every opponent you face will show you the same respect you show them, and it's not always a trap. Some people just won't see you as a threat and even in those moments you need to keep your head on straight."

"Fine, I give." Kasai said as she felt Kakashi take his weight off her back. "Who made you my sensei?" She asked looking up at the serious faced Uchiha.

"I was your enemy." Kakashi said coldly. "You can always learn from your enemy."


	35. Chapter 35

Naruto was sitting in his Hokage chair looking at the team in front of him. "Thank you for getting here so fast." He pulled out a file before opening it.

Looking closely Kuroto could see that it was hers, and one of the others was Kakashi's. "Where is Kakashi?" She asked looking around the room.

Naruto took a deep breath before performing his signature hand sign, in a poof of smoke an identical blond stood there only not wearing the Hokage cloak. In a flash of orange, the clone disappeared. "Give em a second." Naruto said smiling at the Nii woman.

"What are you…" She said before being cut off by the appearance of the clone holding a partially dressed Kakashi who had a toothbrush in his mouth.

"Was this necessary?" He asked looking over to the real Naruto. "I literally needed another minute before I'd be ready."

"You should've been ready twenty minutes ago." Kuroto said narrowing her eyes at the Uchiha.

"Hi." Kakashi said waving to the girl before turning to look at Naruto. "Why is she here?"

The clone disappeared dropping Kakashi on the ground holding his pants with only one leg in them. "The two of you are going on a joint village mission."

"Joint mission?" Kuroto asked raising an eyebrow and avoiding looking at the half dressed Uchiha who was fumbling to get his pants up.

"Yes." Naruto said reaching into a desk and pulling a mask out.

"You can't be serious." Kakashi said blankly. "She's good but I don't know if she can handle that."

"Ready for what?" Kuroto asked the two.

"What is about to be discussed is an S class secret in this village and I'm trust you with it because of how well I know your mother." Naruto said showing no signs of joking or talking lightly. "Do you understand what that means?"

"I do." Kuroto said nodding her head.

"Good." Naruto said gesturing to the mask. "These masks are worn by our elite assassination squad in the village. It was formally known as ROOT during the time of my predecessors. In recent years I've restarted the program under new leadership."

"Who's?" Kuroto asked.

"No one knows, besides Naruto." Kakashi said lazily while he mentally prepared himself.

"And I intend to keep it that way." Naruto said coldly. "ROOT is a group of elite ninja that do work in other capacities but will sometimes be given missions where they wear these masks."

"Like the Mist's hunter nin program?" Kuroto asked crossing her arms.

"Similar." Naruto said standing up and picking up the mask. "ROOT does not just hunt Leaf ninjas. From time to time they will also hunt other missing ninjas from other villages that have gone rogue and entered the Land of Fire."

He now stood in front of the Nii girl, "You don't have to take this mission but I could really use your help."

"Why?" Kuroto asked looking at him curiously.

"I saw what you were capable of during the tournament and I haven't seen many people like that at your age." Naruto said looking her straight in the eyes. "If I was being honest I don't think Kakashi would've been able to beat you had the final continued as planned."

The Cloud ninja looked at the Hokage in shock, and glanced at the Uchiha out of the side of her eye who looked like he was in his own world. "You're serious?"

"Deadly." Naruto said nodding his head. "For the time being I am giving you the chance to work with the ROOT team while you're in the village."

Kuroto looked to Kakashi who said nothing about the matter and pretended he hadn't heard anything. "Thank you Lord Hokage." She said gently reaching for the mask.

Naruto pulled it back slightly and kept his iron stare going. "Whatever you learn in ROOT is to be considered a secret of the Leaf. Your mother is already aware of me offering you the position and has approved it, if you want. I cannot stress enough, while you wear this mask and are on missions for all intents and purposes you are a Leaf ninja."

"I understand." She said nodding her head as she picked up the mask that looked like a cat.

"It's a coincidence." Naruto said shrugging his shoulders and going back to his chair. "Neko recently left the program so her mask was available."

Kuroto nodded as she looked at the mask.

"Alright." Naruto said sitting back down. "Now let's get down to business." Naruto said pulling out a scroll and handing it to Kakashi. "There's a former Cloud ninja in the Land of Fire that has been recruiting and training people and having them commit low level crime. We'd leave it to the Anbu normally but he is a Jonin so ROOT was the best option."

"Do we have a name?" Kakashi asked finally speaking again.

"All we have to go on is F." Naruto said calmly. "In the Cloud however that could mean he was somehow connected with a Raikage at some time."

"I've never met him." Kuroto said. "Only heard stories, by now he should be older."

"Only makes him more dangerous." Kakashi said calmly. "Beware the old where one usually dies young."

"Exactly." Naruto said nodding his head. "In history there has only been one Hokage that was able to retire and live. I'm unsure how similar the Cloud is, but we don't live long as ninja. For someone to get old it would make them either a coward or they're skilled."

"I'm going to assume skilled." Kuroto said rubbing her fingers along the mask in her hands. "For someone in the Cloud to earn a letter for a name they have to have shown great skill from a young age. My mother didn't even accomplish this feat."

"Do you want us to wipe out the camp, or just him?" Kakashi asked bypassing any more discussion.

"Yugito has requested a full extermination. He knows Cloud techniques and most likely passed them on to his followers." Naruto said resting his chin on his hands.

"Any idea where he is?" Kakashi asked the Hokage in a very casual manner.

"We have a few leads, it's all in the scroll." Naruto looked over to Kuroto. "Once you two leave the village you are only to refer to one another by your code names."

Kuroto was about to say something but Kakashi had already left the room in a blur of motion. "What's his codename?" She asked pointing to where he was standing.

Naruto let out a deep breath. "You'll figure it out." He said rubbing his eyes. "I also have an additional request while you're out there."

XXXX

Kakashi was leaning on the gate as Kuroto walked up to him. "After you fearless leader." She said gesturing to the path outside of the village.

"You sure you're ready for this?" Kakashi asked the girl. "It can get pretty gruesome out there."

"Let's just go." She said walking out of the village.

After a few moments she didn't hear anyone walking beside her so she turned around and saw that Kakashi wasn't where he was standing before. "Where did he?" She was about to ask as she turned around and came face to face with an orange spiraling mask with a single eye hole.

"Put on your mask." The upbeat man said as he started swaying from side to side. "See, Tobi already has his on." He said pointing to his face.

"Ok." Kuroto said confused as she slipped the mask on her face. "After you… Tobi." She said looking at him confused behind her mask.

"Wooooo!" Tobi shouted as he jumped onto a tree branch and started running. "Keep up Kitty!" He shouted behind himself.

"It's Neko!" The girl snapped following after the masked Uchiha.

XXXX

After a few minutes of travel Neko looked at Tobi before speaking. "Why are you acting so weird?"

"Tobi isn't acting weird silly." The masked man said waving her off. "Tobi is just being Tobi."

"Um, ok." The girl said looking around the area. "So how far away is F's camp?"

"Not too far." Tobi said in his usual off putting cadence. "We'll be there before you know it Kitty."

"It's Neko!" The girl shouted at her masked companion.

"Blah, blah." Tobi said using his hand to mimic her mouth. "Once we get to the camp, Tobi is going to complete his mission!" He shouted pushing his fist into the air.

"Is that why you're wearing that tanto?" She asked noticing the blade on his back.

"Tobi needs to be able to kill quickly." He said patting the handle of the blade. "There used to be an Uchiha who moved blindingly fast and used a Tanto."

"Is that his?" She asked.

"No." He said shaking his head. "This belonged to Kakashi." He said looking ahead. "He used it a lot when he was young, not so much when he got older."

"Oh." Kuroto said shaking her head as she wondered why Tobi was separating himself so much from Kakashi.

XXXX

A few hours later the duo was crouching in a tree above F's camp. "There's a lot of them." Neko said scanning the clearing.

"They're all weak." Tobi said happily. "If you use those abilities that Big Kitty gives you, you'll win no problem."

"Big Kitty?" Neko asked looking back at him. "You mean Matatabi?"

"Yes, Big Kitty." Tobi whispered as he gestured with his arms to mean big and held his hands out in front of him like cat paws.

"Won't that give me away?" She asked cocking her head to the side.

"Not if they're all dead." Tobi said in a much more sadistic voice than he had been using. "Kill as many as you can." He said standing up straight. "Tobi will get the rest." He said before leaping into the air above the camp.

In the air Tobi formed a set of hand signs. "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" He screamed still keeping his Tobi voice as multiple fire balls rained to the ground incinerating anyone in their path.

"We're under attack!" One of the men wearing a blank grey headband shouted. "Get Lord F!" He screamed before he saw a blade pierce his stomach.

"Gotcha!" Tobi said loudly as he wiggled the blade inside of the man before ripping it out and letting him fall to the ground. "You really shouldn't turn around when you're being attacked." He said looking at the dead man on the ground.

"You should take your own advice!" A large man behind Tobi screamed as he raised his fist to strike the mad man who jumped away from the attack as it crashed into the ground.

"Wow, you're really strong." Tobi said putting his hands on the sides of his head. "I bet I know a genin that would be the perfect sparring partner for you."

"Lord F doesn't even need to worry about you." The man said as he held his hands in a sign and extended his arm out. "Fry!" He screamed as an arc of lightning shot out of his hand going towards Tobi.

"Gah!" The masked man screamed jumping out of the way and landing on his face as he slid on the ground. He looked back up at the large man. "Careful, you could poke an eye out with that jutsu."

"Poke an eye out?" The man asked getting angry as he pointed his arm at Tobi again. "I'll show you poke an eye out."

"Tobi's going to show you a real lightning jutsu." He said performing a set of hand signs before lightning started to crackle around his hands and the sound of birds filled the air.

"Fry!" The man screamed as another bolt of lightning charged at Tobi.

The masked man waited until the last moment before he thrust his arm up cutting the lightning jutsu in two as it continued to fly past him. "Tobi's turn." He said in a very sadistic voice.

"How?" The man asked as Tobi barreled closer to him and shoved his arm elbow deep into the man's chest.

"Lightning Blade!" Tobi said excitedly as he pulled his arm out of the man who collapsed on the ground. "There's more to kill!" He shouted jumping deeper into the camp.

Neko found herself surrounded by ninjas. "Let's show her a good time." One of the men said cracking his knuckles.

"None of that." An older man said walking into the crowd. "She is a ninja, we shall treat her as one." He said resting his hands on the cane in his hands. "Kill her." He said dropping the happy tone he once had.

Neko braced herself back as she dodged a kunai that was thrown at her, after passing her the blade thumped into another waiting trainee. "Is that all you've got?" Neko asked looking around at the men surrounding her.

All of the fighters charged at her at once. Neko bent low to the ground before pouncing forward as her finger nails grew longer and she drove them into her first opponent before taking them out and slashing at the next nearest man.

She ducked under one who swung a large hammer over her head. She kicked back at him pushing him away from her. She grabbed onto the kunai from the dead man next to her and threw it at the hammer wielders head killing him instantly.

After a number of select moves later she stood in the center of a field of dead bodies when she heard clapping coming from behind her. "Marvelous." The old man said leaning on his cane again. "It has been a long time since I've had the pleasure of seeing that fighting style in action, Ms. Nii." The man said smiling at the girl.

"What?" Neko asked taking a step back from the man.

"I would say Mrs., but your mother wouldn't need to resort to a big fight like that. The power of the Two Tails is more than enough to turn this entire clearing into a smoking crater. I am however surprised that she let her daughter into a ninja hunter program."

He shrugged off the blanket that was draped over his back as he flexed his back muscles. "I suppose it has been a long time since I've been able to properly stretch my legs in a fight. Who better than the daughter of the Raikage?" He asked dropping his cane on the ground. "And besides, that fool of a friend you have is far too busy to help you now."

Neko braced herself for the fight ahead when in a blur her opponent was right in front of her swinging his fist at her. "You aren't fast enough child." He said slamming it into her stomach launching her into a nearby tree.

F looked proudly at the dust that was kicked up around the tree. "Shame." He said about to turn around.

"I haven't even gotten started." Neko said from within the dust as red chakra began to surround her body. "I'm going to kill you." She said as the animal inside was starting to peak through.

Within the eye holes F could see that Neko's eyes were now different colors. "Interesting." He said taking a taijutsu stance. "I've always wanted to fight someone with this kind of power."

XXXX

In another part of the camp Tobi had just cut down another man before leaping into the air and unwrapping a scroll that unleashed a barrage of kunai below him killing those that were trying to escape his wrath. "Mary, Mary quite contrary." Tobi sang as he landed on the ground pulling his tanto out. "How does your garden grow?" He asked charging forward and decapitating one of the still standing fighters. "With silver bells, and cockleshells?" He asked again throwing a set of kunai into another man. "And pretty Maids all around?" He asked once again as he held his hands together as water clones filled the area tackling everyone to the ground before they started to boil them alive.

"You guys are boring." Tobi said putting his tanto away and standing with his hands behind his head.

He turned around as he heard a loud crash in the distance. Sensing around the area he could only detect two sources of chakra and one of them was clearly Neko.

He ran to the area and looked at the destroyed terrain as Neko smacked a small old man into a tree.

"We both know that won't work." He said standing up again. "You can beat me all you want, but you'll never hurt me. My absorption jutsu negates all physical damage you do to me."

"Can't hurt to try." Neko said popping her neck as a second tail sprouted behind her.

"Bringing out the big guns I see." F said with a smile. "It doesn't matter, with this power I am invincible."

Neko charged forward slamming her fist into the man driving him to the ground. She continued to beat on him as she started to snarl from the pure animal chakra in her body.

Tobi slowly walked over and took a seat on a stool and watched the fight go on.

F kicked Neko into the air as he performed a set of hand signs. Clouds started to form in the area above them. "I stole this trick from the Leaf a few years back." He said with a smile. "Thank you for using so many fire jutsus just now." He said as the clouds above them started to flash with lightning.

"Kir…" he was cut off by someone grabbing his throat.

Neko looked at her opponent but was shocked to see that Tobi was already holding him by the throat. "No one hurts my friend anymore." Kakashi said not using the Tobi voice. "I'm curious." He said looking the small man as he lifted him into the air. "Just how much can your absorption absorb?"

F tried to speak but Tobi kept his grip tight. He started trying to scratch at the Tobi mask but his arms were too short to reach so he tried scratching Tobi's arm.

"Let's test your power." Tobi said his voice starting to return. "I want to see if I can make you bleed anyway." He said reaching for the tanto on his back.

Tobi looked at him closely and using his Sharingan he could see the layer of chakra over the man acting like a full body armor, only this armor had a constantly moving chink that he was going to exploit. "I see your weakness." Tobi said happily. "Now let's see." He said slicing at the old man's side as the moving weak spot went past his ribs.

"Look at all that blood." Tobi said before whistling. He wiped the bloody blade off on the man's shirt. "So you do bleed." He said cheerily. "That means you can die."

Fear was clear in F's eyes as he looked to Neko who's chakra had returned to normal as she silently watched what was happening.

"But I'm going to play with you first." Tobi said.

"No." Neko replied quickly. "He may be a rogue ninja, but he is still a ninja. Just kill him quickly so we can go back."

"Party pooper." Tobi said as he sunk his Tanto into the weak spot that had hovered over the man's shoulder forcing the blade to turn into F's neck. "Bye." Tobi said as he violently ripped the blade out killing the man quickly.

"Well that was fun." Tobi said dropping the man and turning around. "How many did you get?" He asked putting his hands on his hips.

"I wasn't counting." Neko said shaking her head.

"Oh well." Tobi said walking past her through a puddle of blood. "Let's go back to the village, I'll buy dinner."

XXXX

Back in the Hokage office Naruto was looking at the two masked ninjas in front of him. "The entire camp was dealt with?"

"Yep!" Tobi cheered putting his hand behind his head. "Even their boss who had this cool barrier jutsu."

"Well done." Naruto said standing up. "The mission is complete you may remove your masks."

Both of the Jonin took off the masks and looked at Naruto. "Discussion of the mission is top secret and should be treated as such after this. Good job on your first time out Kuroto." Naruto said noticing the amount of blood on Kakashi.

"Thank you Lord Hokage." Kuroto said with a short bow.

"Dismissed." Naruto said sitting back in his chair.

"I'm gonna clean up before we grab something to eat." Kakashi said walking over to the open window.

"Ok." Kuroto said as Kakashi jumped out of the window and into the rest of the village.

Naruto looked to the Cloud ninja. "How did your mission go?" He asked leaning back in the chair.

The girl let out a long breath. "It was terrifying."


	36. Chapter 36

Sakura, Rin, and Hinata were all having tea at the Uzumaki house when they heard a loud thud come from the bed rooms. "What was that?" Rin asked raising an eyebrow.

"Minato and his new friend." Sakura said holding back the giggles.

"The Nii girl?" Hinata asked quickly. She could keep herself calmer now than when Itachi first disappeared but she was still on edge.

"Yes." Sakura said shaking her head quickly. "I've told them when they're studying in his room the door is to remain open."

"Good." Rin said taking a sip of tea.

"So what was that sound?" Hinata asked.

"I'm not sure." Sakura said quizzically.

"Minato." Rin called without getting up. "Could you and your friend come in here."

After a minute the blond boy and his new companion came out of the room. "What was that sound?" Hinata asked her curiosity starting to get the better of her.

"She hit me." Minato said rubbing the back of his head.

"Why?" Hinata asked confused as the other two women smiled at one another.

"He asked me what it was like to live in a village with a woman for a Kage." Kasai said crossing her arms. "It was a dumb question and I'm not apologizing."

"I like this one." Rin said to Sakura.

"You would." Hinata said closing her eyes and thinking of how her daughter would react if she knew about them.

"It wasn't that dumb a question." Minato said still rubbing the sore spot on your head.

"It kind of was." Sakura interjected leaning on the table. "There was a time when your father wasn't the Hokage."

"Oh yeah." Minato said chuckling to himself.

"Dunce." Kasai said rubbing her eyes. "I doubt the previous Kage of this village would've ever said something so stupid."

Without warning Rin and Sakura burst out laughing, even Hinata chuckled to herself hearing the lunacy of that statement.

Sakura calmed down wiping a tear from her eye. "Naruto and Obito Sensei were both boys at one point in their lives, and from what Lady Tsunade tells me even your grandfather did dumb things." Sakura said gesturing to Minato.

"So what you're saying is that all boys are idiots?" Kasai asked the woman.

"Yep." Rin said nodding with a smile.

"Pretty much." Sakura said blushing as she thought about her own idiot.

"Exactly." Hinata replied taking a sip of her tea.

"Join us." Rin said pulling a seat out for Kasai to sit at.

"Thank you Lady Uchiha." Kasai said sitting down.

"Why do I feel like I'm being ganged up on?" Minato asked the women.

"Because you are, now sit." Hinata said pulling out the chair beside her. While not her own child, because of how close their families are she would say she knew the blond boy well enough to tease him.

Minato grumbled as he sat down in the seat beside his aunt.

"So, if all boys are idiots why be with them?" Kasai asked the women. She had these kinds of conversations with women but she never thought of her father as a dumb boy so her mother was a bad person to ask.

"We love them in spite of that." Rin said smiling as her mind was pulled back to Obito. "Kakashi's father was actually the last place student in our class."

"You mean Lord Sixth?" Kasai asked taking a sip of the tea that was given to her.

"Yep." Rin said smiling. "I still remember the first day of class."

XXXX

 _A younger Rin was sitting in the ninja academy, it was her first day so she didn't know anybody; on top of that her family was all civilian so nobody even knew about her._

 _A man was standing in the front of the class that had a long blond ponytail. "I'd like to welcome all of you to the Ninja Academy, I'll be your instructor Inoza Yamanaka." He smiled at the entire class room. "Why don't we all go around and introduce ourselves." He spotted a boy that most of them would know and pointed to him. "Why don't you start us off."_

 _A boy with jet black hair stood up and all the girls in the class looked at him with stars in their eyes, all but two that is one with piercing red eyes, and the other with gentle brown. "My name is Asuma Sarutobi of the Sarutobi clan." He said before immediately sitting back down._

 _"It's good to have you Asuma." Inoza said smiling at the boy that was probably used to people kissing up to him. "I'm looking forward to seeing how you compare to our other students."_

 _"Yeah, yeah." Asuma said waving the man off._

 _"Now how about…" The Yamanaka said looking around the room when he saw a hand stick up in the air. "Ok how about you." He said smiling as the boy in the blue jacket with goggles on his head stood up._

 _"My name is Obito Uchiha!" The boy loudly cheered. "And I'm going to be the next Hokage!" He shouted with his fists in the air._

 _"You have to get out of the academy first." Came the patronizing voice of a silver haired boy with a mask on his face. "And from what I can tell you might not even get that far."_

 _"And who exactly are you?" Obito asked holding his fist towards the other boy._

 _"My name is Kakashi Hatake." The other boy said not looking at the Uchiha or getting up. "I enjoy reading and long walks, can we move on?"_

 _"No!" Obito shouted. "If you think you're so cool why don't we just see who's better?"_

 _Kakashi sighed and looked at the ceiling. "I don't see why. Everyone in here knows I'd beat you."_

 _Rin watched in anticipation. She knew that the Uchiha clan was the strongest in the village and she was also aware of the Legendary White Fang._

 _"So you're a chicken?" Obito asked crossing his arms. "Guess it makes sense that you're scared to fight one of the legendary Uchiha."_

 _"I'm not scared." Kakashi said calmly and looking at the ceiling. "I just don't feel like wasting the energy on you."_

 _"Now, now." Inoza said to the boys. "We'll get to spars eventually."_

 _Obito sat down in his chair in a huff and puffed his cheeks out. "Ok Sensei." Obito said grumbling._

 _Rin looked at the two boys and noticed how they couldn't be any different if they tried. Obito seemed to be out to prove himself, while Kakashi was already aware of his abiltities and didn't feel the need to._

 _"How about you?" Inoza said his gentle smile directed at Rin._

 _"Um." Rin said blushing as she saw everyone turn to look at her. "My name is Rin Nohara." She said hiding behind a book she had in front of her._

 _"Well it's nice to meet you Rin." Inoza said smiling at the girl. "It's nice to meet all of you." He turned around to the chalk board. "Now who can tell me what chakra is?"_

 _XXXX_

"Lord Sixth challenged someone the first day of class?" Kasai asked in shock as Rin poured more tea into the girl's cup.

"Yep." Rin said with a proud smile.

"And he beat that proud boy right?" Kasai asked.

Rin chuckled to herself. "Oh no. She said smiling at the girl. "He got his butt handed to him."

Kasai looked on in shock. From what she had heard her mother was gifted since she was a child and was the best in her class even before she started learning about Matatabi.

"Naruto was even worse." Sakura said laughing at the memories.

"Oh Kami." Minato said slumping in his seat.

"I remember." Hinata said smiling at the thought.

XXXX

 _"My name is Iruka Umino and I'm going to be your teacher." The brown haired man said happily to the room of kids. "It's become a tradition where everyone goes around and introduces themselves, so let's start there."_

 _Without waiting a boy with a brown shirt with a red swirl and a pair of goggles on his head stood up shouting. "My name is Naruto Uzumaki and I'm going to be the Hokage!" He shouted to the room that all started to snicker and laugh at him._

 _"Now let's not rush to judgements." Iruka said calming the room down. "That's a big goal Naruto."_

 _"Doesn't matter!" The blond shouted putting his foot on the desk. "I'm going to be Hokage no matter what!"_

 _The class again began to laugh at the boy who turned around and yelled at some of the ones that were pointing at him. Three sets of eyes all looked at him curiously though. A white set looked at him with admiration, a green set with contempt, and finally a black set with curiosity._

 _"You never know who could be Hokage one day." Iruka said to the class room. "There have been many students that haven't done well at first that worked hard to become some of the greatest ninjas in the villages history."_

 _Hinata narrowed her eyes at the blond boy and admiring his strong determination._

 _XXXX_

The former Hyuuga smirked at the thought of her former crush having accomplished his life's goal. She turned to look at the blond boy next to her that had so much of his father inside of him.

"What?" Minato asked confused as to why his Aunt was looking at him funny.

The front door opened and Naruto saw the table with women all sitting and drinking tea and his son looking defeated. "What did I just walk in on?" He asked the group that started to laugh at him.

XXXX

Shikadai was sitting on a park bench watching the clouds roll by. He had never had to deal with the conecept of death until now. His mother lost her mother at a young age and when she was a teenager her father died, so she had been through enough tragedy. His dad seemed to be able to handle any problem mostly logically so he didn't know where that left him.

He wasn't like Hino who wore his emotions on his sleeve, or even Chocho who could eat her emotions away. A part of him wondered if he even had those emotions to begin with. Sure he missed Mirai Sensei, but he wasn't going to cry about it. Why should he?

She was a good ninja and she died like one. If anything he should be proud that his sensei was a ninja all the way to the end. Her parents had a reason to grieve just like his parents would if he died. But why didn't he feel what everyone around him was feeling?

"Move your legs." Came the sharp response of Minato Uzumaki sitting beside him on the bench.

"Rude." Shikadai said shifting his body so the Uzumaki could sit beside him. "What's up?"

"My house has become infested by girls." Minato said with a groan. "I got out while they were distracted by something dad did."

"Sound strategy." Shikadai said nodding his head. "How are the Uchiha's handling Itachi missing?"

"They aren't talking about around us." Minato said looking up at the clouds too. "But I can see that it's all Uncle Sasuke is thinking about. He's only here in the village because he knows he'd probably waste his time looking in the wrong place."

"Probably." Shikadai said. "Dad thinks if the enemy is able to sneak in and out of the village without anyone knowing than there's no way to really track them."

"Yeah." Minato said with a groan as he grabbed onto his hair.

Shikadai looked at the boy and saw the additional muscle definition that was developing. "You're training again aren't you?"

"What?" Minato asked blushing at the Nara. "What are you talking about?"

"You don't need to lie to me." Shikadai said smiling. "Your secret is safe with me. Even after what you said when we were in that desert, I knew it was just a matter of time before you wanted to get back into the game."

"This isn't a game." Minato said clutching his knees. "People die and people get hurt, and I want to end all of it."

"Oh?" Shikadai asked looking at the boy. "What do you mean?"

"They're trying to hide it but I can see that my parents look at me differently now." Minato said looking back at the sky again. "They treat me differently because Itachi disappeared. I know they'd never admit it or even consciously think it, but they're glad that it was Itachi that disappeared and not me."

"And what do you want to end?" Shikadai asked narrowing his eyes at the boy.

"People die and get hurt every day and it's just the world we live in." Minato said as he felt a fire starting to burn in his belly. "Our parents grew up in a world of pain and taught us that's all it ever would be, but what if it wasn't?"

"I'm still not following." Shikadai said shaking his head confused.

"I'm going to end this system of ninja that allowed all of this to happen." Minato said standing up. "It was this system that stole my grandparents from my dad, it was this system that stole Uncle Obito from everyone, it was this system that left me broken, it was this system that took Kakashi Sensei's best friend and I'm done with it."

"How are you going to end the ninja system?" Shikadai asked the boy. "It's been going on for hundreds of years, there's no way it could just stop."

"And why not?" Minato asked shocking the Nara. "Hashirama and Madara broke the rules of the ruling states by coming together and declaring the Leaf Village a safe place. What if we did that for the entire world."

"The Feudal Lords would never allow it." Shikadai said laying down realizing this was all happy thoughts.

"Then we kill them too." Minato said clenching his fists.

"You can't be serious." Shikadai said shooting up and seeing the confident look that Minato had. "You'll be killed before you even get close."

"We don't have to kill them all." Minato said shaking his head. "We just tell them that we're done and the Leaf is a safe place. Eventually the other villages would see how great life is here and ninja will be a thing of the past."

"That sounds like a lot of talk." Shikadai said narrowing his eyes.

"I learned something." Minato said turning to look at his friend. "My dad and Uncle Obito decided when they were children they would be Hokage; they had goals to drive them forward the rest of their lives. And this is my goal, I won't die until I see this world a safer place so kids don't have to give their lives for the sake of men they'll never meet."

"Troublesome." Shikadai grumbled as he stood beside Minato. "It sounds insane but I like the sound of it." He said looking ahead with the blond. "I'll be there with you to see it all end than."

Minato smiled as he looked to the Hokage monument. "I'm going to finish what they started."

 **AN: I'm going to admit it, I wrote this chapter because I missed Obito. I will never be over his death in canon. Any other fanfic I read where he's alive and I wasn't expecting it I get super excited.**


	37. Chapter 37

**AN: I know this is a short chapter but there was literally nothing I could do to follow this up properly. I highly reccomend listening to the song "Hear you Me" By Jimmy Eat World while reading the second scene. I was listening to it while writing and it was absolutely perfect.**

Minato pushed the food around that was on his plate. Tonight at the table it was just him and Sakura and that meant that his mom made the food.

"Hurry up and eat your dinner." Sakura said happily before taking a bite of her own food. Minato groaned looking at the food in front of him. "What's wrong?" Sakura asked looking at the down trodden boy.

"Couldn't we just go to Aunt Rin's for dinner like dad?" Minato asked pushing a lump of something that if he had to guess was supposed to be meat.

"Not tonight." Sakura said sadly.

"Is it already that day?" Minato asked shocked. "This year has really flown by."

"Yeah, it has." Sakura said as she glanced out the window and saw the rain that was tapping away at the glass.

XXXX

Naruto stood beside Sasuke as Rin walked past them and put her hand on the cool stone wall. She felt the rain falling on her body but she didn't care, this was one thing she would always do on this day. February 10th, even when he was gone Rin would spend this day with Obito.

She choked as she started to feel the tears falling from her face. The memories of the man over the years had become a double-edged sword. She could take comfort in all of the happy times, but she could never again hold him in her arms.

Naruto balled his fists as he didn't say anything. This used to be Rin's tradition but over time Naruto had decided that he needed to be there as well. He felt the lump in the back of his throat. "Big Brother." Naruto choked out as the tears started to fall from his eyes, hidden by the raindrops on his face.

Sasuke watched in silence, he felt the pain of loss from Obito being gone too. This was the first time he ever came to 'celebrate' Obito's birthday since his death and he understands why it's important to Rin, but this isn't for him. He would stand there silently until they decided it was time to leave, for them.

"He needed you this year." Rin choked out as she rested her forehead on the rock wall that covered Obito's tomb. "This year more than any other he needed a father. He blames himself for everything, and he's constantly carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, even though he doesn't have to." Rin chuckled through the tears, "He's just like you."

Rin looked sadly at the ground beneath her. "No, that's not right." She thought about it more for a moment. "He's always strived to be his own man; even while being forced to live in your shadow." She let another wave of tears fall as she gripped the stone harder. "Damn it, you should've been here."

Naruto winced at her reaction; he may have moved past it but he will always know that Obito died because of him. He felt Sasuke's hand on his shoulder, the brother's made eye contact that conveyed the entire conversation.

Sasuke didn't want to see Naruto blame himself, but Rin needed to speak her heart.

"Damn it!" Rin screamed as she slammed her fist into the stone beneath her. "He needs you!" She continued to cry harder, "I need you." Rin felt herself wrapped in a set of arms. She expected it to be Naruto but when she looked up she saw that it was Sasuke that was holding her.

"He'd be so happy to see you." Sasuke said as a single tear fell from his eye. "He'd probably shout something about family, and then his stomach would growl and we'd all go get something to eat."

Rin smiled through the tears as she saw Sasuke extend his hand and place it on the cold stone. "You'd be proud of him." He said smiling before looking up at the stone face that watched over the village. "He's become a great ninja, and he's well on his way to becoming an even greater man." A sad smile crossed Sasuke's face. "A better man than I could ever be."

Rin was about to stop him when Sasuke spoke once again. "But everything about me that is strong, good, and kind came from you."

Naruto walked forward standing beside the embracing two pressing his own hand against the stone wall. "You should see the way he is with the kids." Naruto said knowing that it was a sore subject but wanting to get it off his chest. "He stands over them just like you did for us. He celebrates their victories, and cries with their pain."

"Thank you, Obito." Rin said as she continued to cry. "You weren't here long, but you made me the person that I am today and I will never stop loving you for that."


	38. Chapter 38

Kakashi was sitting in a tree reading one of his secret orange books when he heard the tree start to rustle. "Something I can help you with?"

"Nothing really." Kuroto said resting on a separate branch. "Do you have to read that smut in public?"

"Tends to keep people away." The Uchiha heir said not looking away from the pages.

"Well that's because it's creepy." Kuroto replied with a quick chuckle. She looked around the village and saw that it was mostly fixed. "My mother will be calling Kasai and I back to the village soon."

"It had to happen eventually." Kakashi said closing the book and putting it in his pocket. "Minato is going to be bummed."

"Just Minato?" Kuroto asked glancing over to the relaxed Uchiha.

"I don't know." The Uchiha said standing up to his feet. "Never really talked to Kasai personally."

Kuroto grumbled at the boy as he jumped out of the tree. "Where are you going?"

"For a drink, you're welcome to join." He said not turning back. "Unless of course Kitty can't get out of the tree on her own."

"Idiot." Kuroto grumbled as she jumped from the branch and onto the ground. "At least my power doesn't come from a freaking turtle."

Kakashi chuckled as the Cloud ninja caught up to him.

XXXX

The two were sitting at a bar. Kakashi had a glass of sake in front of him and Kuroto had a glass of whiskey in front of her. "Any idea when you're going back?" Kakashi asked as he wrapped his hand around the glass.

"Could be any day now." The Nii girl replied sipping her own drink. "With everything going on, mom probably wants to keep us close. We were only allowed here because she trusted the Hokage."

Kakashi smiled, "It seems everyone in the world trusts Naruto Sensei."

"You don't?"

Kakashi leaned back slightly in his chair. "I don't know I'd call it distrust." Kakashi shook his head. "It's nothing."

"No, tell me." Kuroto said putting her hand on the Uchiha's arm.

"I guess I don't trust anyone these days." Kakashi said closing his eyes and taking a drink.

Kuroto nodded her head and put both hands in her lap. "You have the same quality."

"Hmm?" Kakashi asked putting his drink down and pouring more into the glass.

"The thing that makes everyone trust the Hokage, you have it too." Kuroto said looking at the downtrodden Uchiha.

"No, I don't." Kakashi said taking another drink. "And if I do, I don't want it."

Kuroto chuckled as she sipped her drink. "I get that." She said before putting the glass back on the bar. "Still though." She said turning to the Uchiha. "People rely on you, it's the reason the Hokage choose you train his son, it's the reason you made Jonin so young, and it's the reason she loved you."

The glass in Kakashi's hand shattered, but his face remained neutral. "You don't know what you're talking about." He said wiping his bloody hand on his jacket. He stood up from his stool and pulled out a few bills. "Drinks are on me." He said before turning to walk away.

"Damn it Kakashi!" Kuroto said slamming her palms on the table. She turned to go after him when she felt something holding her arm. "Who are…" She froze mid sentence. "Kakashi!" She screamed.

The Uchiha turned around slowly and for the briefest moment he saw not just Kuroto, but two men beside her. One that was black on one half of his body and white on the other. It was the other person however that made his blood boil.

"Did you miss me?" Hidan asked smirking at the Uchiha. "We're just going to borrow your friend here." He said pulling on Kuroto's arm.

"Get off of me." The Nii girl shouted

"Sorry toots." Hidan said smirking at the girl. "But the new boss says he needs you and a few others."

Kakashi charged forward pulling his fist back. "Hidan!" The Uchiha screamed slamming his fist into the wall that Hidan had dodged.

"You know kid." Hidan said standing behind Kakashi. "Ever since I became immortal, I put absolutely no effort into getting stronger, but seeing the way you fight and how much pain you're in because of it, I just knew that I needed to be able to keep up."

Kakashi turned around ready to drive a kunai into the immortal man but found his arm was already grabbed. "There's that fire that I missed." He said tightening his grip.

"We need to go." Zetsu said holding a now unconscious Kuroto.

"Fine." Hidan said throwing Kakashi across the bar and into the liquor shelf. "Look at you." He said picking the now bloody Uchiha up. "All tuckered out." He pulled the Uchiha's headband off and threw it at the wall.

"Hidan!" Zetsu demanded. "We have our bait, now we need to get going."

XXXX

Minato and Kasai were sitting in the middle of Training Ground 7. "There's no way you're going to learn that without help from a summon."

Minato opened his eyes and groaned. "Dad said he only learned it after the war from the toads, and he won't let me make a contract with them."

"Why not?" Kasai asked crossing her legs.

"Because I'm not officially a ninja." The boy groaned laying back on the ground.

"So how are you going to become a sage?" The Nii girl asked the boy.

"The First did it without a summon." Minato said looking at the clouds. "So I guess it must be possible."

"Idiot." Came a familiar voice.

Minato sat up in shock. "Itachi?" He asked looking at the boy who was now wearing red armor that looked like what Madara and the First wore.

"You two need to come with me." The Uchiha said glaring at the two.

"Everyone's going to be so excited that you're back." Minato said getting to his feet as fast as he could.

"Come with me now!" Itachi said coldly, his now fully evolved Sharingan staring at the two. "I'm not going to ask you again."

"What are you talking about?" Kasai asked stepping in front of Minato.

"You again." Itachi said in anger.

"Yes me." The Nii girl said crossing her arms. "Now tell us why you need us." She demanded.

"Stupid girl." Itachi said clenching his teeth. "If we didn't need you, I'd kill you myself."

"What?" Minato asked staring in shock at his oldest friend. "Itachi, you aren't making any sense. Uncle Sas…"

"Don't you dare say his name in my presence!" Itachi screamed at the Uzumaki. "He stopped being anything to me a long time ago. I'm only here because of our previous friendship." Itachi took a step forward as Kasai let out a primal growl. "I aim to save this ninja world."

"Why?" Minato asked narrowing his eyes as he retook his old battle stance.

"Look at your leg, that's more than enough to answer your question." Itachi said narrowing his eyes.

"Beat it!" Kasai spat at him. "You're just speaking nonsense now."

"How are you going to save it?" Minato asked putting his hand on Kasai's shoulder.

Itachi grinned at his old friend. "We're going to resurrect Kaguya and she will lead all of us into a world of true peace."

"You know what that would take?" Minato asked narrowing his eyes.

"Sealing all nine of the tailed beasts into one perfect vessel." Itachi said his Sharingan burning into the two in front of him. "You, Minato."

"Me?" The blond asked shocked.

"Lady Kaguya would reward you in this perfect world." Itachi said holding his hand out. "Come and help me save the world."

Minato looked ahead. "That would mean that my dad would have to die, and Aunt Rin!" He shouted at his former friend.

"They're ninja." Itachi said pointing his hand to the headband he was now wearing that had rings surrounding smaller rings. "They agreed to give their lives for the betterment of their village. Why save the world, when you could save the entire world? They will be seen as heroes in Lady Kaguya's new world."

"No." Minato said balling his fists. "I won't argue that this world needs to change, but your way isn't the way."

Itachi closed his eyes. "I'm sorry to hear you say that, but you don't have a choice in the matter." He opened his eyes to reveal they were now purple with rings inside of them. "Universal Pull!" He shouted as Minato and Kasai felt themselves falling towards the Uchiha.

Their necks slammed into his hands before the Uchiha slammed the two of them into the ground. "Welcome to the new world." He said as they all descended into the ground.

Itachi expertly ripped both of their headbands off tossing them to the side before they were gone.

XXXX

A few hours later Naruto was sitting in his office when the door burst open. "Sakura?" Naruto asked when he saw the pained look on her face. "What's wrong?"

Sakura held the man tightly pressing something into his chest. Naruto held the item looking at it. "A headband?" He asked his sobbing wife.

"Minato." Was all she was able to get out.

"What happened?" Naruto asked gently making eye contact with her.

"He's gone." She said sniffling.

"What?" Naruto asked as he felt his chest drop.

Rin came running in through the door next. "Naruto!" She shouted before she saw Sakura clutching Naruto, and the headband in his hand.

"Rin?" Naruto asked when he felt his world shatter as Rin held out a head band as well. He knew exactly who's headband it was. It used to belong to Kakashi Hatake, before Obito started wearing it and eventually passing it to his son.

"No." Naruto said feeling his legs going weak.

"This too." Sakura said holding another headband, this time with the symbol of the Cloud.

"Kasai." Naruto said clutching both headbands. "Who?" He asked his eyes slitted red.

XXXX

Sasuke was meditating in his backyard when he heard someone clear their throat. "Not now." The Uchiha said quickly.

"That sounds about right." Itachi said, the spite lacing his voice.

"Itachi?" Sasuke asked opening his eyes quickly and seeing the fully armored boy in front of him.

"Father." Itachi said staring down the man. "I suppose that's what I should call you."

Sasuke slowly got to his feet. "It's good to see you back home."

"I'm not." Itachi said coldly. "I'm simply here to deliver an invitation."

"What?" Sasuke asked noticing the fully developed Sharingan of his son.

"You are to bring the eight remaining Jinchuuriki to Kaguya's castle." Itachi said staring passively at his father. "Or else their children will all die."

"What?" Sasuke asked activating his own Sharingan. "You mean Minato is going to die, we have to stop them."

Itachi started to laugh before holding his stomach from how hard he was laughing. "You moron." He said calming down. "I am one of them." He said as his eyes shifted to the Rinnegan state.

"Rinnegan?" Sasuke asked in shock.

"Yes, I have surpassed you, father." The boy said adding spite to the last word. "Just so you don't forget let me show you what I can do." He said performing a set of hand seals.

XXXX

Naruto looked at Rin and Sakura who were both trying to control their emotions. "Do we have any idea where to find them?"

The next moment the entire wall around the Hokage office exploded inward. Naruto used Kurama's chakra to shield both women from the barrage of wood coming in.

"Pathetic." Came a voice before a thud was heard. "You were supposed to be one of the strongest ninjas in history."

"Itachi?" Rin asked looking through the dust.

The Uchiha boy looked around the room and saw two of his targets. "Bring the eight Jinchurriki and this," He said kicking Sasuke who was laying on the ground, unconscious. To Kaguya's castle, or all of the Jinchuuriki children shall die." Itachi jumped away from the building as Naruto charged forward and when the boy would've hit the ground he continued falling through as if it wasn't there.

Naruto screamed out of the massive hole in the wall, the scream was so loud that everyone in the village heard it and saw their Hokage standing before them in his chakra cloak.

He turned around and looked in the room. "I need to speak with the others."

 **AN: Well I'm gearing up to begin the final arc. What will happen to the new generation? Will Kakashi have his revenge on Hidan? Will Itachi succeed in reviving Kaguya? And who will be able to stand against her? Keep on reading to find out all this and more!**


	39. Chapter 39

Naruto sat in a room with not only the Five Kage, but also the remaining jinchurriki. "Have we heard anything from Kokuo?"

"Nothing." Roshi said shaking his head.

"What are we going to do?" Fu asked looking around the room. "Sasha isn't a ninja, she can't protect herself."

"From what we've seen that isn't a factor." Yugito said hiding the storm that was brewing inside. "Even Kuroto, and Kakashi were Jonin, and they were captured."

Bee leaned forward on the table. "I'll go."

"What?" Naruto asked confused. "They don't have anyone in your family, why would you give yourself up like that?"

"I'll go too." Gaara said leaning back in his chair.

"You can't be serious." Yugito said in shock. "Me, Nine, Seven and Three should be more than enough to handle them."

"No we won't." Rin said balling her fist. "They were able to turn a genin into someone that was able to beat Sasuke Uchiha in single combat. Imagine what they can do with an explosives expert and an immortal zealot."

"I shall join you as well." Utakata said looking at the group.

"Why?" Naruto asked the room. "Why would you give yourselves up for our families?"

Roshi smiled as he crossed his arms. "That's simple."

"Enlighten me." Naruto said standing up and leaning on the table.

"If you are all our family," Gaara started. "then so are your children."

"Right!" Roshi said punching his palm. "Besides, we all want to be there to see this fight."

Gaara stood to his feet. "As the Kazekage, I hereby commission the Jinchuuriki battle squad." He extended his fist forward. One by one the other Jinchuuriki did the same leaving Naruto, Yugito, and Rin standing there in shock. "Even if this is the end for us, as the defenders of this world we have an obligation to be there for the end."

Rin stood to her feet quickly extending her hand. "For Kakashi."

Yugito stood next. "Kuroto, and Kasai."

Naruto smiled as he stood to his feet as well. "For everyone."

The door opened and Sasuke walked in with Sakura and Hinata beside him. "We're going too."

"The more the merrier." Roshi said happily.

"Are you sure?" Naruto asked Sakura.

"I stood by and watched you fight someone once, and I almost lost you." Sakura said standing beside him and glaring into his eyes. "I refuse to be a bystander while you risk your life."

"When do we leave?" Hinata asked the room. "I'm here to bring my son home."

"We shall bring them all home." Gaara said nodding to the white eyed woman. "We must make way for the next generation."

XXXX

Later back in the Leaf Sarada was pacing around the room and going out of her mind when she heard a knock on the door. In a dead sprint she ran to the door opening with a hopeful look on her face. "Daddy?" She asked but her face became sullen quickly.

"Not quite." Shikadai said. Hino, and Chocho were with him. "Are you coming?"

"Where?" Sarada asked confused.

Shikadai let out a long sigh. "My dad told me what was going on, and while I don't like your brother very much, Minato is a friend, and they're both Leaf ninjas."

"We're going to rescue them." Chocho said flexing her bicep.

"You can't be serious." Sarada said shaking her head confused. "We're just genin."

Hino pushed Shikadai out of the way and stood directly in front of Sarada. "We lost our sensei." He said his white eyes hardening as he looked into hers. "We don't want you to feel what we felt, and Kakashi Sensei is the only one who can avenge Mirai Sensei."

"But…" Sarada started before she was slapped in the face by the cousin in front of her.

Hino glared at the girl. "We are Shinobi." He said coldly. "We don't hesitate to rescue our own. Now we are going to save them so that the Jinchuuriki don't have to worry about anything else. It's time you stood up proudly, you are the daughter of Sasuke Uchiha, and Hinata Uchiha, two heroes of the Fourth Great Ninja War, start acting like it."

Sarada balled her fist before nodding her head. "I'm just going to grab my gear."

"Good." Shikadai said as Sarada shut the door behind her. He looked over to Hino, "So where the hell did that come from?"

Hino turned to look at Shikadai too. "It's all true." He said his Byakugan activating. "This is our time to step up, we can't stay in the background anymore."

Sarada jumped out of her window landing in front of her fellow Genin. "We've got a long trip to Kaguya's castle."

"Guess she's in charge." Chocho said following after the other girl.

"Works for me." Shikadai said following with his hands behind his head.

"Thank Kami." Hino said to himself. "I don't think I had another one of those in me."

XXXX

Naruto was sitting in his room waiting for the others to be ready to head out when Sakura came in carrying a box. "A few years back I had these made."

"What is it?" Naruto asked picking up the box. "There's seven more." Sakura said with a mischevious smirk.

"No way." Naruto said excitedly.

Sakura smiled as she saw Naruto open the box like a kid at Christmas. "I figured that since the Jinchurriki were going to be fighting together they needed to look like a team." She reached into the box and pulled out a headband. "I guess with what Yugito calls you all this makes sense." She said going around him to tie it tight.

"I don't know what to say." Naruto says looking at the woman in front of him.

"Tell me we'll bring him home." Sakura says with hard eyes. "Promise me that you'll come back to me."

"I always do." Naruto said pulling his wife into a hug.

XXXX

Footsteps could be heard outside a castle. The sun was shining off the snow on the ground and were it not for their determination the Jinchuuriki Battle Squad stood outside the door to Kaguya's castle.

"Here we are." Naruto shouted as he and the other Jinchurriki stood in a line all wearing matching white robes with blue straps on their torsos, and dark blue belts that had the sealing symbols. They each were a headband with their number of Tailed Beast.

Each of them felt their tenant stirring and ready for a fight. While they weren't thrilled with the plan they all understood what was at stake and knew this was what they had to do.

"Let's go wild!" Naruto shouted.

XXXX

The genin had infiltrated the Kaguya's castle without being detected and were heading down a series of stairs where they were assuming they'd find the prisoners.

"Do you really have to be eating in here?" Shikadai asked Chocho.

"I eat when I'm nervous." Chocho said biting into a large piece of bread she had with her.

"So you're always nervous?" Hino asked his teammate.

"Bite me!" Chocho shouted before taking a big bite when she saw Sarada extend her hand back.

"Hino." She whispered. "Tell me what you see."

The Hyuuga nodded his head. "It looks like there's thousands of people below us." He said in shock. "All of them are alive."

"That's what I thought." She said balling her fist. "This is what I was afraid of."

"It's a trap." Shikadai said cleaning his ear. "Why else would Itachi say that the Kage need to be here?"

Sarada continued looking all around her when she smiled. "I've found them." She took off running.

"But there's someone with them." Hino said as his team followed after her. "What's our plan?"

"We don't have one." Sarada said pushing her legs harder than she knew she could. "All that matters is getting the others out so we have back up.

"What makes you think they'll be ready to fight." Shikadai asked.

"Itachi wouldn't want to hurt them unless he had to." Sarada said without turning around. "I won't believe it. Besides, I've brought some of Kakashi sensei's things."

XXXX

The group rounded a corner when they saw a woman leaning against a support pillar. "They sent children?" She asked looking at them. "I was honestly hoping to be able to fight one of the Tailed Beasts."

"Sarada." Minato shouted seeing his friend. "They're here to save us!" He shouted to his fellow prisoners.

"What?" Kakashi asked standing up with a cover over his eyes. "Why?"

"Out of our way." Sarada said her Byakugan already planning her attack strategy.

"Sorry kiddo." The woman said checking her nails. "The boss told me that I needed to stay here, so that's exactly what I'm going to do."

"Fine." Sarada said cracking her knuckles. "Then we'll just have to go right through you."

"Feisty." The woman said standing up from her chair. "You're the bosses sister aren't you?"

"We don't have time for this." Shikadai said his hand slowly inching to his back. "Sarada, go all out, we've got your back."

"Right!" The white eyed girl said charging forward.

"Sorry kid." The woman said pulling two swords from her back. "He never told me that I can't kill you."

Sarada jumped forward pulling her palm back when she saw her opponent swinging her sword. The Uchiha girl ducked under the blow before jumping onto the ceiling and leaping behind her attacker.

"I am Figaki the Bloody!" The woman shouted as an insane smile crossed her face. "It's been so long since I've seen a little girl like you beg for death."

"That person is gone." Sarada said taking her fighting stance. "I am no longer Sarada the victim, my name is Sarada Uchiha, and you're in my way!"

"Let's do this kid." Figaki said swinging her swords around. "Show me the power of the Uchiha."

Sarada jumped forward swinging her palm at her opponent but the attack was expertly deflected. "Do you really think some puny genin can defeat me? I am the student of Hidan, I won't lose to some brat!"

Without thinking Hino jumped into the fight slamming his palm into Figaki's back. "You learned from that freak?" He shouted backing away from the woman.

"Foolish child!" Figaki screamed kicking Hino away. "Once Lord Jashin accepts me, I will be just as powerful as the man I love." She started laughing maniacally, the pain he gives is so pure and amazing.

"Freak." Shikadai said putting his hands together as his shadow stretched out to the mad woman. "Shadow Possession complete." He said before looking at Chocho. "Now, hit her!"

"Right." The girl said charging ahead as her fist grew in size. "Partial Expansion, Akimichi Punch!" She screamed as her fist slammed into the woman pressing her against the wall.

"She's not done." Sarada said maintaining her battle stance. "Minato what kind of chakra does she use?"

"They've blocked our chakra in here!" The blond shouted. "I can't sense anything outside of this cage."

"Fine." Sarada said cracking her neck. "Watch me." Sarada said to herself as Chocho pulled her fist back revealing Figaki pressed against the grumbling wall with a sickening smile on her face.

"You kids are fun." She said as she pulled herself free. "But now I think it's time I stop holding back."

"She's been holding back?" Chocho asked taking a step back.

"The entire time." Sarada said pulling her glasses off. "My mother created this technique." She said as her fists were surrounded by chakra tigers. "And my father uses this one." She finished as the tigers started to spark with electricity. "This is the power of my family." She said pulling her hands close to her body. "And this is my courage!" She shouted charging forward quickly moving into her opponents guard and striking chakra points. "Eight Trigrams: Sixty Four Shocking Palms!"

The Uchiha's hands started to move faster than anyone else could see leaving only a blur of chakra and lightning as her hands continued to strike her target. Sarada dashed behind her opponent before kicking her back towards Shikadai. "Now!" She screamed.

"Right!" The Nara shouted as he uncorked the bottle on his hip and sand rushed out of it. "It's not enough!" He said as the sand struck her.

"Gah!" Chocho screamed as she forced her chakra to continue to grow before slamming her fist into the wall shattering it revealing the dirt behind it.

Shikadai extended his other hand to the hole in the wall as sand burst through the dirt and rushed towards him. "You came between my friend and his dream." He said as the sand started to circle him. "You, and everyone that you work with is going to die, even your precious teacher!" He shouted as the sand around him rushed towards Figaki and surrounding her. "Sand Coffin!" Shikadai screamed as he compressed all of the sand.

He let the sand fall to the ground as the blood started to leak through. "You did good." Hino said catching Shikadai from falling.

"Thanks." The Nara said when he realized where they were. "We need to get them out of here." He said pointing to the cells.

Chocho grabbed the metal bars before ripping the metal door away. "Let's go!" She shouted to the people who were slowly getting to their feet.

Kakashi slowly followed the sound when he felt a hand guiding his. "Come on." Kuroto said leading him out of the cell before undoing the covers on his eyes. "Let's see those eyes you Uchiha are so proud of."

Kakashi blinked once he was able to see and a pair of beautiful black eyes stared back at him. "Wow." He said in shock.

"What?" Kuroto asked taking a step back.

"Nothing." Kakashi said shaking his head. "We need to get everyone out of here, maybe we can get out before our parents show up."

"Too late." Minato said with his eyes closed. "I can sense all nine biju upstairs."

"Even Kokuo?" Kasai asked standing beside him.

"Yeah, but his chakra is hidden away." Minato said opening his eyes.

"Then how can you see it?" Sarada asked.

"I dunno." Minato said shrugging, "For now Kakashi Sensei is right and we all need to get out of here."

"Lead the way." Kuroto said pushing the Uchiha man to the front. "Let's save our foolish parents."

XXXX

The group came up the stairs with Minato being supported by Shikadai and Kasai. "Well I've missed you." Came a voice from the foyer. "I guess this is when we get our rematch." Hidan said walking into the open.

"Hidan." Kakashi said gritting his teeth.

"I've got your back." Kuroto said standing beside him.

"No!" Kakashi barked. "I won't let him hurt anyone else I love, now get the kids out of here."

"Love?" Kuroto asked when she felt someone pushing her forward.

"One thing at a time." Kasai said pushing her sister ahead. "You should know how capable he is."

The group walked the other way looking for another entrance as Kakashi stared at the man he hated most in the world.


	40. Chapter 40

**AN: With this chapter I highly recommend listening to Happily Ever After from Guren Lagann. It's what I was listening to while writing and I thought it was very fitting.**

"What, no hello?" Hidan asked holding his arms out for a hug. "Listen man, I know we've had our differences but we need to look past them."

Kakashi grabbed the tanto that Sarada had given him. "This is the blade that was given to me!" He shouted holding out the pristine blade. "This blade was once used by my parent's best friend, the man I'm named for!"

"So?" Hidan asked gripping his scythe tighter.

"My name is Kakashi!" He screamed as his Sharingan activated. "I was named for a martyr but I refuse to be one, I won't let you hurt anyone else ever again!"

"Fine!" Hidan shouted brandishing his blade. "Let's settle this!"

The two charged at one another before Kakashi jumped into the air blocking Hidan's blade and pushing him back with a kick to the head.

"Whoa!" Hidan said grabbing his bloody nose before resetting. "You pack quite the punch." He ducked under Kakashi swinging his blade for the immortal's head. "What, no fun banter?"

"Not this time!" Kakashi shouted sweeping Hidan's legs and driving his blade into the man's head.

"You forgot." Hidan said pushing himself free. "That won't kill me."

"You're right." Kakashi said putting the blade back. "I need to step it up." He said as he flexed his body. "Open, Gate of View!" Kakashi screamed as his entire body flexed and tightened and the chakra around him began to swirl. "I'm about to kill an immortal." He said to himself.

"That's more like it!" Hidan shouted before he was kicked away by Kakashi landing upstairs busting through the bannister. "Whoa." He said in shock before standing up and running back at the now much faster man.

"I've seen so much death." Kakashi said to himself. "So many people I love," He added looking at his hands. "I may not be able to stop them from dying in the future, but one thing I do know; I'm going to stand over your corpse."

"I'd like to see you…" Hidan shouted before he was cut off by being punched across the foyer and slamming into the wall going into the library.

Kakashi followed through as the immortal leapt over him swinging his scythe down. "You hit pretty damn hard." Hidan said as he saw Kakashi block the blades with his tanto. "But it still won't be enough to kill me." He leaned in closer to Kakashi. "Tell that virgin of yours that I say hi."

"Shut up!" Kakashi screamed as his eyes shifted to their mangekyo state.

XXXX

 _Kakashi Uchiha, Mirai Sarutobi, and Might Bai had just completed their first mission without their sensei and were running back to the village._

 _"I told you it wouldn't be hard!" Dai shouted jumping from branch to branch._

 _"Speak for yourself." Kakashi said chuckling. "We had to carry so many bags for that woman."_

 _"Stop complaining." Mirai chided. "Naruto Sensei will be proud of us." The group stopped as they heard an eerie scream._

 _"That wasn't human." Kakashi said looking around the area._

 _"What could it have been?" Mirai asked, her red eyes scanning the area._

 _"It didn't feel youthful." Bai said looking around as well._

 _"Let's check it out." Kakashi said heading towards the source of the sound._

 _"We can't." Mirai said to the Uchiha. "We've already completed the mission and now we need to get back to the village."_

 _"Naruto Sensei made me team captain." Kakashi said over his shoulder. "And I say we need to check if anyone needs help."_

 _"Kakashi is right!" Bai shouted. "Saving those who need our help is the most youthful thing we can do as young ninja!"_

 _"Fine." The Sarutobi said rubbing her closed eyes. "You two are going to get yourselves hurt one of these days."_

 _"C'mon." Kakashi said with a smirk. "You should know us better than that._

 _XXXX_

In an instant Kakashi was behind Hidan and grabbing him before hurling him out of the library and back onto the higher floors.

"Damn." Hidan said pushing the rocks off his body. "Where were you all those years ago for my first kill?"

Kakashi appeared in front of Hidan with his hair standing on end, and his Mangekyo burning a hole in the immortal, before slamming his fist into the man pushing him through the floor.

XXXX

 _The trio landed in a clearing where they saw a large man with a mane of brown hair. "Is everything ok?" Kakashi asked the man who slowly turned to look at them._

 _"Leaf ninja." The man asked as a grin crossed his face. "You'll do just fine. Tell me which of you is the strongest?"_

 _"He is." Bai said pointing at Kakashi. "He's the son of the Hokage!"_

 _"Shut it." Kakashi chided his teammate. "Why do you care?"_

 _"A Hokage?" The man asked putting his hand to his chin. "You should do just fine." He said popping his neck._

 _"For what?" Mirai asked as her hand felt for a kunai._

 _"To test my new power!" The man shouted charging forward and punching Kakashi into a tree._

 _"What the hell?" Mirai asked pulling a kunai out._

 _"Dynamic Entry!" Bai shouted as he jumped towards the man who caught the boy's foot._

 _"I have spent years perfecting this power." The man said as he threw Bai at Kakashi. "It is only possible with the power of the Zero Tail."_

 _"Just who the hell are you?" Kakashi asked pushing Bai off of him._

 _"I am Shinno." The man said looking at the three Chunins in front of him. "You three may not be enough to properly test this power, but I suppose that opening a few gates can't hurt."_

 _"Gates?" Bai asked before he was immediately grabbed by Shinno and thrown into the air. "Open Fith Gate!" Bai shouted as he regained his balance as he fell to the ground._

 _"My, my." Shinno said walking up to the now chakra infused Chunin. "I thought you said he was the strong one."_

 _"Don't you touch him!" Kakashi shouted jumping forward and slashing a kunai down._

 _Shinno caught the Uchiha and looked at him closely. "You don't interest me." He said before tossing him away. "Tell me, how many gates are you capable of opening?"_

 _"Just as many as you." Bai said through gritted teeth._

 _Shinno grinned as he swung his leg at the taijutsu user who jumped over the leg. "Kakashi, Mirai, get out of here!" Bai shouted dodging a barrage of attacks._

 _"I'm not leaving." Kakashi shouted jumping into the fight. "We're getting out of this together!"_

 _"Pathetic!" Shinno shouted as he drove his fist into Kakashi's chest._

 _"You're fighting me!" Bai shouted punching Shinno in the back of the head. "So pay attention, y'hear me?" Bai swung his leg kicking Shinno into a group of trees. "Mirai get him out of here." Bai shouted tossing a barely conscious Kakashi towards the Sarutobi._

 _"Bai." Mirai said holding the Uchiha in her arms. "You can't be doing what I think you're doing."_

 _"Go damnit!" Bai screamed looking at the girl showing the tears that were falling. "You two are my best friends, this is what I want!"_

 _XXXX_

Hidan burst through the ceiling landing on the ground beneath. "Guess if you're not holding back, I shouldn't either." Hidan's skin turned from its normal pale coloring to pitch black with white lines looking like bones on them. "Face the full might of a god!"

Kakashi landed on the ground showing only his silhouette and his shining red eyes. "What is a god to a nonbeliever?" The Uchiha burst through the dust leaving a billowing trail as he drove his fist into Hidan's chest propelling him through the mansion.

The immortal flew in the air and grabbed the ground as he slid and his fingers were destroyed from the motion. "That actually hurt." He said balling the fist as the skin grew back on his fingers.

Kakashi charged forward leaping through the air to make it hard for Hidan to see the attack coming before turning on his heel and driving his foot into the man's head.

"Not this time!" Hidan screamed as he stabbed his scythe into Kakashi's side. "Now you're going to die, just like that virgin did!"

"Her name is Mirai!" Kakashi screamed as the chakra around him started to bubble red and a single tail grew behind him. "And she was my best friend!"

 _XXXX_

 _Bai watched as his friends turned away and went the other way. "It is commendable to sacrifice yourself for your friends." Shinno said walking back towards Bai. "However after I kill you, they're next."_

 _"No you won't!" Bai screamed looking up with fire in his eyes. "My name is Might Bai, I am the grandson of the eternal Genin Might Dai, and son of the Blue Beast Might Gai, and the student of the Fifth Hokage, Shizune Kato! You won't walk out of here!" The boy with the bowl cut screamed as his the air around him turned a deep blue. "I am the Red Beast!" He screamed, "Gate of Death, open!" The air around him turned a deep red and his shirt burst off him as he flexed._

 _"What?" Shinno asked before he was punched in the face shattering his jaw. "I've never fought for myself, so it only makes sense that I die for something else!" He screamed as he built up more chakra in front of him. "Kakashi, Mirai, thank you for being my friends." He said to himself. "Now, let's finish this!" Bai screamed as the chakra in front of him turned into a dragon and he charged forward._

 _"What is this?" Shinno asked in shock._

 _"This is the power of Youth!" Bai screamed as his chakra coated arm slammed into Shinno so hard that the man exploded into mist._

 _"I did it." Bai said as he started to lose his balance._

 _XXXX_

Kakashi kicked himself away from Hidan. "And you killed her to serve your twisted god." Kakashi said as he saw Hidan brandish the blade.

"Lord Jashin will love you." Hidan said before charging at the Uchiha, "Now die like the welp you are!" He screamed as he started to swing his blade faster and faster. Kakashi seeing his only chance kicked the blade back towards Hidan.

Kakashi backed away. "You are not adequate." He said his Mangekyo burning.

Hidan smirked as he saw a trickle of blood on his blade. "Sorry kid, guess I caught you." He said before setting up the ritual beneath him.

Kakashi watched with baited breath as he saw Hidan pull out the spike. "Now die!" Hidan screamed stabbing himself in the side. His eyes widened in shock as he coughed up blood but Kakashi stayed standing. "What?"

"You cut yourself." Kakashi said teleporting directly in front of Hidan. "This is for Mirai!" He screamed as he formed a Rasengan in his hand and began to scream as he pushed his water chakra into it as the water spun against the flowing chakra. "Biju State: Maelstrom Rasengan!" He screamed forcing the spinning chakra into the immortal's body. "This is the end of you!" Kakashi screamed as he forced the orb into Hidan's chest and the water started to destroy him from the inside out.

"Damn you!" Hidan screamed as his body was ripped apart from the inside infinitely.

"Gah!" Kakashi screamed as the chakra caused Hidan to expand before exploding. "Mirai." Kakashi said slowly reaching his hand to his headband and feeling the small piece of paper. "I did it."


	41. Chapter 41

Naruto could hear what sounded like a battle but he ignored it. He and the others in his group stood in a massive throne room with Itachi sitting on the throne and Zetsu beside him. "So you actually came." The boy said standing to his feet. "Mother." He said greeting Hinata. "Sasuke." He said in spite at his father.

"Now let the children go, you little shit!" Yugito spat from her place in the line.

"The matching uniforms was a nice touch." Itachi said lazily. "But is white really the color for a ninja?"

"No better worse than orange." Naruto said chuckling and crossing his arms.

"Read the room." Gaara said shaking his head. "We've followed your commands now we demand that you release the children."

"There is no need." Zetsu said to the group.

"Yeah, don't try to act all high and mighty." Itachi said shifting in his throne. "I knew the moment Sarada set foot here that she brought others." He said in spite before glancing to his shocked father. "Don't try to act surprised, why wouldn't she want to come here? She's a fool and unfortunately she may have to die because of that."

"You wouldn't." Hinata said stamping her foot. "Stop this now Itachi."

"Enough mother!" The Uchiha snapped his red eyes glaring down at her. "I hope that Lady Kaguya will not punish you harshly for your open rebellion." He looked at the others. "The Jinchuuriki however shall be punished."

"I can't tell if he's over confident, or if he can back all this talk up." Fuu said trying to keep her eyes hard.

"I can feel it." Naruto said his chakra starting to build. "Something was done to him to make him this strong."

"Doesn't matter." Yugito said as her chakra began to expand. "The kids are free so let's leave."

"Nope!" Came another voice behind them. "Wrangled them up boss!" Deidara shouted as he led the children towards the throne. "The only one I couldn't find was the Uchiha."

Naruto gasped when he saw that each of the children were covered in Deidara's clay. "One spike of chakra and they all turn into art." The bomber said with a mad look on his face.

"Kakashi could be a problem." Itachi said finally standing up. "We need to extract the chakra quickly, with the way Deidara has them there's no way any of them would try anything."

Deidara was about to chuckle when he felt a warm spot on his chest. He looked down to see the white blade piercing his chest. "Not a chance." Came a cold voice behind the blond man.

"Damn it Tobi." Deidara said grasping the blade before another one was inserted into his spine causing him to go limp.

"Now then." Kakashi said looking at the room full of people before his eyes settled on the stern looking Itachi. "End this." He said in a stern voice. "This is a hell of a lot to try and get your father's attention."

"Shut up!" The boy snapped his eyes shifting to their purple ringed state. "You don't know what it's like to constantly live in your father's shadow."

"Look around you!" Kakashi shouted. "Our entire family lives in my father's shadow! They all have scraped and worked so they're more than just the student of Obito Uchiha, or the wife of one of the great heroes. It's taken me this long to realize this, but it's fine to live in someone's shadow." He glared up at the boy. "I'm the son of a Hokage who was trained by a Hokage. I've got a lot to live up to, and I'm more than willing to do now the work. Now it's time you stopped throwing your tantrum."

"Tantrum?" Itachi said his eyes burning at his sensei. "I'm doing this for the betterment of the world. This ninja system killed your father, killed Mirai Sensei, made my father abandon us, and nearly killed Minato! I'm here for one reason."

"And what reason is that?" Kakashi asked glaring at the boy.

"To end it." He said smiling. "Starting by killing the Five Kage and reviving Lady Kaguya."

"They won't just roll over." Kakashi said readying himself mentally for combat.

"We need to hurry." Zetsu said to Itachi. "Summon it."

"What?" Minato asked looking up.

"We recovered a vessel that is better than you." Itachi said to the young Uchiha. He performed a set of seals before a massive statue burst through the wall behind him. "Now stand in awe at the power of Rinne, the Gedo Statue!"

All of the Jinchuuriki took a battle stance but took a step back when they saw that out of the hole an army of pure skinned white men poured out.

"Behold my army." Itachi said.

Kuroto landed beside Kakashi as the statue screamed. "What the hell is that?"

"I'm not sure." The Uchiha said looking up and seeing Minato holding his hands together. "But I think that Itachi is the one controlling it."

"So we stop the kid?" Kasai asked standing between Minato and the army.

"No!" The Uzumaki shouted. "This is my fight!"

"You can't be serious." Kakashi shouted. "He was able to handle Sasuke."

Kasai stepped out of Minato' way. "Save your friend."

"Right." Minato said nodding his head. "Kakashi, you and the others protect the jinchuuriki at all cost, that's their ultimate goal."

"Right." Kakashi said nodding his head.

"I've never fought an army before." Kasai said standing beside the others.

"They have." Kuroto said pointing to the Jinchurrikis that were tearing through the Zetsus like it was nothing.

"We're wasting time!" Yugito screamed as she ripped one of the men in half.

"We don't have any other options right now!" Sakura shouted back. "We need to get rid of the main one!" She shouted as her fist slammed into one of the clones.

"We've got it!" Naruto shouted as he and Sasuke jumped towards the one surrounded by a fly trap.

"Indra and Ashura." The main Zetsu said looking at the legendary duo in front of him. "I've been manipulating your lives for years." The black half separated from the white revealing his true humanoid shape. He looked up with a wicked smile. "Who do you think got Orochimaru to attack the Leaf on the night of your birth?" He asked Naruto.

He looked towards Sasuke. "I also tempted your father and Danzo into opposing one another." Zetsu told Sasuke before he began laughing. "I also left a scroll for Orochimaru to discover the reanimation technique that eventually led to the death of Obito Uchiha."

"We're past it." Sasuke said coldly. "Right now there's nothing you can say to us that would make us hate you anymore."

"Right." Naruto said slamming his fist into his palm. "You hurt one of our own and twisted another's heart.

"The white eyed freak?" Black Zetsu asked looking at the girl who was fighting alongside Team Mirai. "She was just another cog in the machine."

"Explain." Sasuke said drawing his sword.

"Me and my white clone made a bet." Zetsu said as he chuckled. "He would befriend Itachi, and I would train Sarada as I see fit. I turned her into an excellent ninja while at the same time making her terrified to stand against me."

"I've heard enough." Naruto said as a golden chakra cloak covered his body. "Now, I don't know who Ashura or Indra are, and honestly I don't care."

Zetsu grinned as the duo charged ahead attacking him.

XXXX

Minato slowly walked up the steps and stood in front of Itachi. "I'm ending this." He said glaring at his former friend. "I won't let you hurt my dad or Aunt Rin."

"I'm going to create the perfect world." Itachi said glaring at the Uzumaki in front of him. "If I have to cut you down to get there, I'm willing to."

"Good luck." Minato said taking an unfamiliar fighting stance. "I refuse to standby while the people I care about fight, and if all I can do is stand against you then that is what I shall do."

"You've always been a fool." Itachi said as he took a fighting stance. "How are you going to fight me with that bum leg?"

"We are ninja." Minato said with a smile. "We've always got something up our sleeves."

"This is our final fight." The Uchiha said closing his eyes. "Let's make it memorable."

"Right." Minato said gritting his teeth. "Let's find out once and for all, which of us is stronger!"

"Minato!" Itachi screamed.

"Itachi!" Minato screamed.

They jumped forward their fists punching the other one in the face hurling him across the room and into the opposite wall.

"We need to stop that statue." Gaara said as the Zetsus around him were crushed by the sand protecting him.

"Open to suggestions!" Rin shouted as she kicked one of the pale men away. "If we use our full forms in here we'd bring the building down on top of everyone else."

"She's right." Yugito said her back against Rin's. "We can't fight all out in here, and they know that."

"You guys handle the Zetsus." Kakashi said walking forward as he tightened his headband. "We've got this." He said his knuckles cracking and the Nii sisters standing beside him as red chakra started to bubble around the trio. "Let's show everyone what we can do." He said as a genuine smile crossed his face. "I haven't felt this good in a long time."

"Lead the way." Kuroto said as a second tail sprouted behind her.

"Hn." Kasai said in agreement.

"Sarada!" Kakashi shouted at the fellow Uchiha who was in the middle of a horde.

"What?" She screamed as she slammed a palm into one of them.

"You guys need to protect the nonconbatants!" He shouted.

"Right!" Sarada shouted as she and Team Mirai stood around Fuu's children.

"Kakashi!" Shikadai shouted looking at the Uchiha. "Did you kill him?"

Kakashi simply nodded his head. "Even if she's gone." He said loud enough for the team to hear. "We'll carry her in our hearts today, as we save the world!" He screamed as he threw his arms back and the chakra around him began to surge cracking the ground beneath him. He bent his knees before jumping forward slamming his fist into the Gedo statue knocking it back and out of the castle.

XXXX

Minato was wincing from the extreme pain in his leg as he looked at the extremely calm Itachi. "I was hoping that with all your boasting you'd be a challenge."

Minato smirked at his friend. "Needed to get you excited."

"You've failed." Itachi said as he jumped forward.

"It's ready." Minato said as Itachi's fist was directly in front of him.

Itachi gasped as his fist was caught and he looked at the blond to see now had red marking on his face, and a dot surrounded by a circle on his forehead with a blank spot the same shape as the mark on Sakura and Rin's foreheads. "What is this?"

Minato pulled his fist back as he screamed before it slammed into Itachi propelling him clear across the room. "I can't hold this power long." He said walking towards the Uchiha. He no longer had his ever present limp as he walked with the pride of a ninja. "Now we can fight for real."

"Universal Pull!" Itachi shouted raising his hand up to the blond.

Minato felt himself flying towards his opponent and he had one plan. "Fight me for real!" He screamed raising his fist up and slamming it into Itachi forcing him back into the wall as it exploded from the force.

"Fine." Itachi said wiping the blood from his mouth. "It's time the Uchiha put you beasts back in your place!"

Minato took a different stance as the marking on his face disappeared. "Now you've lost your edge." Itachi said as he relaxed. "You should've known that sage mode wouldn't last you long."

"You're right." Minato said smiling as he took the same stance his mother took in a fight. "I never said I only had one plan."

"Idiot." Itachi said shaking his head.

"Moron." Minato said. "I want to change the world too, but this isn't the way."

"Don't try and stall so that you can acquire more nature energy." Itachi said with a sigh. "It's just pathetic."

"Fine." Minato said still smiling. "I do want to say that I've missed this."

"What?" Itachi asked jumping forward and punching the blond who dodged the blow.

"Fighting with you." Minato said throwing a punch that was dodged as he received a punch to the stomach. "It's ironic, we shouldn't even be fighting." He said pushing Itachi's hand away and kicking with his good leg. "I want to say the way of the ninja end too, but I don't want to be ruled by a long dead relic."

"Then who would rule?" Itachi asked blocking the kick.

"No idea." Minato said slowly backing away as Itachi pressed the attack. "I used to think you'd be good for that, but now I'm not too sure." He looked up with passion. "Finally, I've done it even faster than they did."

"Done what?" Itachi asked genuinely interested.

Minato grinned as he stood on his leg straight and pointed to his forehead as a purple rhombus appeared. "Just wait until I tell mom I did it even younger than she did."

"Idiot." Itachi chuckled as he was kicked away by Minato who had jumped into the air.

"My leg is fully healed." He said landing low to the ground. "Which means, that for now at least, I'm a ninja!" He charged forward his legs moving faster and faster as he drove his fist towards Itachi.

"Almighty Push." Itachi said as without warning Minato was sent flying the other direction. "Even at full strength you're no match for me. I now possess the powers of a god."

"Fine." Minato said as the rhombus on his forehead began to spread over his body. "If you won't listen to reason, I'll just beat the sense into you!"

XXXX

Naruto ducked under a wooded spike that was hurled at him. "This guys is tougher than he looks."

"Shut up dobe." Sasuke said leaping over the Uzumaki and swinging his sword at the back peddling Zetsu.

"I'm getting bored with you." Zetsu said as he put his hands on the ground and a wooden golem grew beneath him. "I've manipulated every part of your life." The black man shouted from the golem's head. "I even tried to corrupt your precious Obito Uchiha and kill his bride to be."

"Don't you say his name!" Naruto screamed as a black orb formed in his hand and he charged at the golem slamming the concentrated chakra into the monster shattering it.

"I think that's more than enough." Zetsu said realizing that he was being pushed. "Today is the day that I reunite with my mother."

Kakashi burst through the wall as the Gedo Statue followed after him. The young Uchiha rolled on the ground before slamming into Sasuke who caught him. "That thing hits really, really hard."

"Itachi!" Black Zetsu screamed. "It is time."

XXXX

The Uchiha boy was glaring at Minato. "We'll pick this up soon."

"I won't let you!" Minato shouted as he jumped forward pulling his fist back.

"Sorry." Itachi said sidestepping the punch and slamming his palm down on Minato's back. "You won't stand in the way of my revolution."

Itachi jumped away from Minato who was having a much harder time standing then he did before. "Bastard hit a chakra point." He said holding his side as he coughed up blood.

XXXX

Itachi landed on top of the Gedo Statue and slammed his palms together. "Planetary Devastation!" He screamed as he started to throw black orbs from his hands striking each of the Jinchuuriki.

"What is this?" Utakata asked as rocks started to slam into his body.

"Not this." Naruto shouted as he tried to struggle out of the gravity well.

"Stop this!" Sasuke yelled pointing his sword at his son.

"Your words mean nothing to me." Itachi said coldly. "Disappear with the rest of your family!" He shouted as he threw one of the orbs at Sasuke too.

The older Uchiha tried to dodge the orb but it moved faster than he did, eventually striking him in the chest and pulling rocks onto his body.

Itachi looked around the room at what was left. He saw his sister and former classmates fighting a growing horde of Zetsus and he saw his best friend lying face down on the ground. He also saw his former teacher struggling to stand.

"Think of what you're doing." Kakashi said slowly walking towards the Gedo Statue. "If you do this there's no going back, you will be seen as a criminal for the rest of your life."

"I'm willing to make the sacrifice." Itachi said calmly. "If it means that no one else has to grow up in this broken system that sends children out to die."

"That's not the point!" Kakashi shouted stomping his foot and wobbling where he stood. "You're an Uchiha." Kakashi said as blood started to fall from a head wound over his right eye before pointing to his Sharingan in the other. "We are blessed with these eyes to see a better future." He slammed his fist on his chest. "And we were blessed with these hearts so that we may fight for those futures the right way."

"Foolish." Itachi said shaking his head as he held his hands out and the rocky orbs around the room surrounded him. "The word Jinchuuriki literally means sacrifice. They were forced to take on the burden of the Tailed Beasts to protect the world. And in death they shall do just that."

Chakra started to seep out of the orbs and into the Gedo statue. "Please stop." Kakashi said as he fell to his knee breathing heavily. "You know there's a better way."

"I'm sorry." Itachi said shaking his head. "There isn't one."

"Fine." Kakashi said slowly standing to his feet. "Then I will do what I must to protect those I care about."

"Protect?" Itachi asked as a wicked smile grew on his lips. "Everyone you love dies."

Kakashi's eyes fully opened as the words settled in his head. "You can't protect anyone but yourself, both of your teammates are dead and you're here perfectly fine. Minato nearly lost his leg, and you're here perfectly fine. I suppose that loving you is a curse, soon your mother will join them all."

"No she won't." Kakashi said gritting his teeth as he was surrounded by a red chakra cloak and three tails swung behind him violently. "I won't let anyone else die!" He screamed looking up his Sharingan now yellow matching the Three Tails chakra flowing in his veins.

Itachi sighed as the chakra stopped coming from the orbs. "It's too late for any more bravado."

The eyes on the Gedo statue all opened as it let out a beastly wail and its body started to shift and morph until ten tails were swinging behind it. A single eye opened resembling a cross between the Sharingan and the Rinnegan. "Soon she shall return to her true form."

XXXX

Back in the Leaf village a deafening explosion was heard. The citizens looked to the gigantic dust cloud coming from the Hokage monument. "What was that?" Gai asked covering his face from the debris.

"The chakra feels familiar." Kurenai said bewildered. "But it can't be."

XXXX

Minato slowly stood to his feet as he forced the chakra point open. Suddenly a red chakra cloak surrounded him and he could sense everything around him and beyond. His jaw hung open in shock as he felt the slightest details to the creatures of the earth, and he started to shake in fear when he felt the vast emptiness of the Ten Tails beyond.

The orbs holding the Jinchuuriki all fell to the ground falling apart. Minato didn't waste a moment and charged forward and put his hand on his father. "Mom!" Minato screamed looking around frantically.

"I'm here." Sakura said sliding to a stop.

"I can keep his heart beating." Minato said. "But you need to help the rest of them."

"It will take the three of us." Rin groaned as she pulled herself closer to the mother and son. "We need to use our seals to cover them all. Minato your chakra is what will keep us all alive, so I hope you have enough."

"Right." Minato said nodding his head as he froze in place.

"What is it?" Rin asked in shock.

Everyone in the room heard the familiar sound of a Chidori and a wall above them exploded.

"Sorry I'm late." Came a familiar voice that caused: Sakura, Rin, Sasuke, and Hinata to freeze in place.

"There's no way." Rin said covering her mouth as she lost her balance and started to fall to the ground when she felt someone catch her.

"I told you I always came back." Came the gentle voice as Rin struggled to open her eyes and she smiled.

"Obito Sensei." Sakura said in shock as the long dead Uchiha stood in front of her.

 **AN: Yes I did the thing. Please keep reading and leave reviews.**


	42. Chapter 42

"We need to focus!" Minato shouted as he started to feed his own chakra into his father. "There's eight of them and I need help."

Obito smiled as he gently put Rin beside Minato and a shocked Sakura. "I'll be back." He said kissing her forehead and gently touching Naruto's chest before walking towards a stunned Sasuke, and another man he didn't recognize surrounded by chakra.

"You." Zetsu sneered as the Ten Tails roared ripping the building to pieces.

"Guess they know who I am." Obito smirked as he stood beside Sasuke. "It's good to see you Sasuke." He said patting him on the shoulder. "Right now, we have work to do, isn't that right Kakashi?"

The young Uchiha growled at his father as he felt the almost overwhelming chakra burning through him.

"They're trying to revive Kaguya." Sasuke said shaking his head.

"I know." Obito said taking a few steps forward. "You recognize my chakra, don't you?"

The Ten Tails roared pushing everyone back and ripping the castle to pieces hurling the debris into the air.

"We need to stop the Ten Tails." Obito said covering his eyes from the dust.

"I'll handle Itachi." Kakashi said gritting his teeth. "He's my student and my responsibility."

"No." Sasuke said drawing his sword. "I'm the father that failed him."

"No Sasuke." Obito said looking at his brother. "I need you to help me handle the Ten Tails, it's two strong for me to even hope to enact my plan."

"Which is?" Sasuke asked glancing to the revived Uchiha.

"I'm going to become its Jinchurriki, it's the only way for me to save Naruto, Rin and the others." Obito said as his eyes shifted to their Mangekyo state. "I only did this once so let's hope I've still got it."

Kakashi leapt into the air dodging the Ten Tails as it rained down wooden spikes. He looked to Itachi and in an instant appeared in front of his student. "Me and you!" He shouted grabbing the boy by the collar and they disappeared.

Sasuke watched as Kakashi and Itachi disappeared. "We need to have faith in them." Obito said as his chakra began to build. "For now we need to hold this thing back long enough for me to absorb it."

"Hn." Sasuke grunted activating his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan and glaring at the Ten Tails. Purple chakra began to grow around Sasuke until he stood inside the fully formed Susanoo.

Obito flexed all of his muscles as he pushed all of his chakra into his eyes and felt the white chakra lifting him into the air.

"So they plan to attack alone." Zetsu said standing on top of the Ten Tails. "It won't be long now mother."

The Ten Tails roared as it jumped forward but Sasuke and Obito held the massive beast back. "This thing is strong!" Sasuke yelled through gritted teeth.

"There's nothing stronger!" Obito shouted as his eyes started to bleed from the strain. "I can't hold this form long, we need to do something fast!"

XXXX

Kakashi and Itachi landed in the middle of a forest glaring at one another. "Kakashi Sensei." The Uchiha boy snarled.

"I've already tried talking to you." Kakashi said reaching for his tanto. "I'm done with that now, the only thing I have left to offer you…" He pulled the blade from the sheath and held it in front of himself. "is death."

Itachi grit his teeth, his Rinnegan glaring at his former sensei. "If this is what you want to do, then I won't stop you."

The two Uchiha charged at one another, Kakashi wielding his tanto, and Itachi pulling out a chakra rod. The two weapons clashed in the middle sparking from the force pushing the air away from them and cratering in the ground.

"Bijus." Itachi spat looking at the mangekyo of Kakashi. "Filthy creatures that were created solely to eliminate Lady Kaguya."

Kakashi disappeared and was instantly behind Itachi swinging one of his tails at the boy hurling him into a tree, shattering the wood.

Itachi regained his footing in midair and skid to a halt. He raised his arm up as it split apart and missiles shot from his arm. The projectiles were aimed perfectly at the older Uchiha who dodged one and caught another before throwing it back at Itachi.

"Almighty Push!" Itachi screamed before the attack could hit him. "You're faster than you used to be." Itachi said starting to breath heavily. Fighting Minato and then summoning the Gedo Statue took a lot out of him, but he could tell that Kakashi was exhausted as well.

Kakashi stood up straight before running back at Itachi brandishing his blade away from himself. "Universal Pull!" Itachi said raising his hand and gripping a chakra rod.

Kakashi felt his body speed up before he was no longer touching the ground as he moved. He glanced to the side and appeared where his gaze had fallen.

"Hm." Itachi said turning to where his sensei had appeared.

Kakashi jumped back to the ground and charged ahead holding his weapon again.

"…five." Itachi said before Kakashi was directly in front of him. "Almighty Push!" He shouted launching Kakashi away from himself.

"Got it." Kakashi said looking up at his student. His eyes were starting to blur, "Damn it." He said standing up. "Gotta make this quick."

XXXX

Sasuke flew into the air pulling his massive Susanoo sword out as he dive bombed the Ten Tails stabbing the center of it with his blade.

The monster screamed in pain as its tails all fell on Sasuke nearly crushing him from the weight. "Too much." Sasuke said gritting his teeth as he tried to force the tails off of him.

"I've got your back!" Obito shouted as his Susanoo grabbed a set of shuriken and threw them at the tails ripping them out of this reality.

"We can't do this alone." Sasuke said as his Susanoo flew next to Obito's. "We need back up."

"Then let's get their attention." Obito said cracking a smile.

"Who's?" Sasuke asked looking over.

"Everyone." Obito said as he started to scream and charge at the Ten Tails.

XXXX

Minato had managed to spread his seal to the Jinchuurikis but he could feel himself running out of chakra. "Mom, I don't know how much longer I can go." He said between breaths.

"I know." Sakura said ignoring the shock she was feeling as well as the battle that was still going on around her. Hinata was leading Sarada and her team against the remaining Zetsus and it seemed they were keeping them distracted enough to leave the Jinchuuriki alone.

"Kasai!" Minato shouted to the Nii girl who was fighting alongside her sister. "I need more chakra."

"Right!" Kasai shouted back leaping towards Minato. She was covered in a chakra cloak and as she put her hand on Minato's shoulder is eyes opened wide.

"What is it?" Sakura asked.

"I can help." Minato said looking at the Ten Tails battle.

"Go." Came a familiar voice to Minato.

"Kabuto!" Sakura said gritting her teeth looking at the sage.

"I know you hate me and right now I don't care." Kabuto said ignoring Sakura. "I know you can help them, so let me help your father."

"Right." Minato said standing to his feet. "Kasai." Minato said looking behind his back.

"Yes?" The girl asked in bated breath.

"If we make it out of this…" He said looking at his hand as red chakra started to bubble over his body.

"Spit it out!" The girl shouted.

Minato smirked. "It's nothing." He said shaking his head. "Besides, we'll make it out of this no problem."

"How?" The Nii girl asked seeing her still unconscious mother.

"Cause we're family." Minato said turning around and smiling at the girl with a thumbs up.

Sakura looked in shock as her son was now the spitting image of his father.

"You need to go." Kabuto said to the boy. "We'll keep them alive."

"Right." Minato said as he started to flex his chakra. He slammed his hands together as he screamed and the red chakra became thick covering him completely leaving only a silhouette and his eyes now bright white.

Multiple tails continued to sprout behind him until 8 of them were flowing behind him. A skeleton started to grow over the body.

"Stop!" Sakura shouted as she heard Minato's screams.

"No!" Kabuto snapped at the woman. "He's strong, he can handle this."

Minato screamed as the chakra around him began to grow until it stood almost as tall as Kurama normally did. The fake Nine Tails screamed before charging at the Ten Tails and slamming into the beast.

"Is that Naruto?" Obito asked in shock.

"No." Sasuke said calmly. "Naruto's chakra is cleaner, this is unrefined."

"Not gonna complain about the extra help." Obito said shrugging his shoulders. "We need to attack now." He said putting his hands into a sign.

"Right." Sasuke said as the left hand of the Susanoo was covered in chakra. "I've only ever tried this with Naruto."

"I've only ever done it alone." Obito said with a smirk as a massive Rasengan formed in the hand of Obito's Susanoo.

"Chidori!" Sasuke screamed as the hand dove into the Ten Tails.

"Rasengan!" Obito screamed his hand following after Sasuke's.

The two attacks hit causing a guttural scream to erupt from the Ten Tails' mouth.

XXXX

Kakashi was standing across from a clearly exhausted Itachi. "Neither of us have much chakra left." He said to the boy as his eyes turned to their normal black color.

"Yeah." Itachi said his Rinnegan fading. "I can't stop though." He said as he lazily pulled out a kunai. "Not until everyone is safe."

"Safe?" Kakashi asked. "You think everyone will be safe with Kaguya in charge?"

"Safer than they are now." Itachi said as he fumbled forward. "We live and die for our villages, while the people in the other villages do the same. I can't live in a world like that anymore."

"Then work to fix it, the right way!" Kakashi screamed. "This isn't it. Countless lives will be lost, but it's not too late to stop this and help us get rid of Kaguya."

"I can't." Itachi said shaking his head. "I can't go back, not anymore." He said shaking his head. "I've killed your mom and Uncle Naruto, this is the path I've chosen and I can never go back."

"Damn it Itachi!" Kakashi shouted. "You messed up, now act like a man and fix it!"

Itachi stood in front of Kakashi, his fists balled up and blood dripping from his palms. "I can never face them again."

"Too bad." Kakashi said walking towards the boy. "I was wrong before, there's something other than death I can give you." He put his hand on the Uchiha's shoulder. "I'm going to give you a chance to try and make things right."

In the blink of an eye the two of them were gone.

XXXX

Obito jumped out of his Susanoo and landed on the Ten Tails head. Across from him stood the grinning Zetsu. "You've failed Hagoromo."

"Not yet." Obito said as he put his hands together in a seal and screamed.

"Not again!" Zetsu screamed as he was about to throw a wooden spike at Obito but stopped as a blade sliced into his shoulder. The artificial man looked up and saw a pair of Sharingan glaring back at him. "No one kills him until I kick his ass!" Kakashi screamed as he pulled his hand back forming a Rasengan as he slammed it into Zetsu hurling him off the Ten Tails.

The massive fox Minato jumped back as the Ten Tails started to scream. Kakashi turned around and saw his father sink into the massive beast as it started to cave in on itself. Kakashi tried running but found his muscles too weak to jump.

"You aren't dying!" Kuroto shouted landing beside him and putting his arm over her shoulder.

"Kuroto." Kakashi said as his head started to get heavy.

"Quiet." The girl said jumping off the massive beast and landing with the others. "He's dangerously low on chakra." She said to the two medics.

"I can't heal anyone else." Sakura said gritting her teeth as she looked at the still unconscious face of her husband.

"Bring him here." Rin said forcing herself to sit up.

"You can't!" Sakura shouted. "If it weren't for us you'd already be dead."

"He's my son." Rin said as Kuroto put the Uchiha in front of her. "Don't tell me you wouldn't do the same for yours."

Sakura nodded her head as her teacher put her hands on Kakashi's chest. "Show them who you are." She whispered to him as he started to move around again.

Minato felt his chakra starting to settle as he returned to his humanoid shape. His body was completely burned but he was able to use his seal to heal his body as Sarada walked beside him as they watched the Ten Tails cave in on itself.

"What's happening?" Sarada asked confused. "Its chakra looks erratic."

"Uncle Obito is absorbing it." Minato said as he heard another set of steps behind him. "Did he beat some sense into you?"

"Yeah." Itachi said standing beside his sister and best friend. "What now?" He asked.

XXXX

Within the Ten Tails Obito felt himself being torn apart as he tried to absorb the absurd amount of chakra. The only things he was able to hold onto was the memory of his family, his beautiful wife, their son, the two boys he had raised and the families they had of their own. "I won't die!" He screamed as he felt his body ripped apart.

XXXX

Sasuke watched in awe as from what was left of the Ten Tails now stood a pale white man with white hair and horns on his head. "Obito?" He asked walking up to his sensei. "You did it, now you can save them!"

"Get away from him!" Minato screamed.

"What?" Sasuke asked as he turned before hearing a wet thump. He looked down to see Obito had shoved his entire arm into Sasuke's chest. "Why?" He asked looking at the blank expression the Uchiha had on his face.

"Daddy!" Sarada screamed as she saw her father's body fall to the ground.

"No, no, no." Itachi said as he started to grab onto his head. "It wasn't supposed to happen this way!"

Hinata stared in shock as she saw the man she loved, a man she thought to be invincible; die at the hands of the very man who raised him. "Sasuke!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.

Kakashi slowly stood to his feet as he saw his mother fall back on the ground. "Damn it, damn it, damn it!" He screamed feeling all of his chakra restored. He turned on his heel and glared at the image of his father. "I've had enough!" He screamed as he charged towards the new Jinchuuriki.

"Kakashi Sensei!" Sarada shouted as she followed after him.

"We need to go." Minato said feeding some of his chakra into Itachi.

"Right." The boy said nodding his head as the now reformed Team Kakashi charged towards the strongest being on the planet.


	43. Chapter 43

"Do we have a plan?" Sarada asked running beside her sensei.

"Not sure." Kakashi said thinking through everything that was happening. "He said he had one, but clearly it backfired."

"Enough talk!" Itachi shouted jumping forward past the others pulling his fist back as fire covered it. "Fire Blade!" He screamed forcing the attack down towards Obito who looked at him passively.

Itachi felt something wrap around his arms as he felt himself disappear and reappear next to his teammates. He looked up and saw that Obito had raised his hand and a black needle pierced through it.

"We need to think this through." Kakashi said covering one of his eyes. "We don't know any of his abilities right now."

"He has everything." Minato said calmly, the marking around his face returning signifying he was in sage mode. "He has even more nature energy than I do right now."

"What does that mean?" Sarada asked the blond.

"I think our only chance at hurting him is either taijutsu, or senjutsu." Minato said clenching his fists.

"Guess it's good we've got you." Itachi said standing beside his teammates. "I'll follow your lead, just this once." He said to the blond.

"I can deal some damage, enough at least to keep him distracted." Kakashi said looking up at his father. "The three of you need to find a way to finish him off."

"Right!" Sarada said activating her Byakugan. "For Daddy."

"For Sasuke." Kakashi said gritting his teeth as he leapt towards his father.

He landed a few feet from the blank faced Jinchuuriki and the two stared at one another. "I don't know if you can hear me in there, but this is kind of a dream come true for me. All my life I've been compared to you, and how one day I would be just like you." He balled his fists. "That made me think that the only way I'd ever be good was if I became you." He chuckled to himself. "After a while I realized how that was a crock of shit."

Obito didn't move as Kakashi continued to talk. "All my life you were dead, and I accepted that. I still had Naruto Sensei and Uncle Sasuke." He smiled at the man. "It took me a while, but now I can smile when I say this. My name is Kakashi Uchiha, named for a great man, student of Naruto Uzumaki the Seventh Hokage, teammate of Might Bai and Mirai Sarutobi, and leader of the current Team Seven, and you are my goal." He finished pointing at his father. "I have no drive to be Hokage like you did, but I vow, I will be better!" He screamed as he slammed his fist on his chest. "Now it's finally time!" He shouted throwing his arms back. "Seventh Gate, Open!" He screamed as the air around him turned blue.

He jumped forward slamming his fist into Obito who flew into the mountain across from them. "Having said all that, we really don't have time for this now!"

"I've got it!" Minato shouted as he put his hand out. "You remember how our dads can combine their attacks?"

"Yeah." Sarada said nodding her head. "But we've never tried something like that."

"I've never seen a better time to try." Itachi said nodding his head in understanding. "Minato you're going to have to be the one to strike, our ninjutsu won't work on him."

"Right. The blond said nodding his head as he started to form a Rasengan in his hands. "I'm going to need the two of you to put as much of your chakra into this as you can."

"You sure you can handle it?" Itachi asked as he activated his Rinnegan.

"I need all of it." Minato said nodding his head.

Sarada put her hand on the spinning orb of chakra as she placed forced her Gentle Lion attack into the spinning orb, leaving behind one of the tigers in the center of the attack.

Itachi closed his eyes as he extended his hand out, black chakra seeped into the attack, "This should pull him into the attack."

Kasai landed next to the trio and put her hand on the attack. "Save my mom." She pleaded as blue fire surrounded the swirling chakra.

XXXX

Kakashi ducked under a black needle of chakra that was coming his way before Obito's other hand grabbed onto him. "Damn!" He cursed, prepping himself for the pain he was about to feel, when instead he heard a thunderous slam freeing his eyes from Obito's hand.

He glimpsed the long flowing blonde hair. "I'm not letting you die here!" Kuroto shouted. "I'm right here with you and I'm not going anywhere!"

Kakashi nodded his head and stood beside her. "You think you can keep up?"

"I'm insulted you even asked." The blonde said cracking her knuckles before looking to Kakashi. "There's something I need to tell you."

"How does Ramen sound?" Kakashi asked not looking at the girl.

"What?" She asked blushing.

"You were going to tell me how you felt right?" He said the gates chakra dissipating revealing his kind black eyes. "I won't wait any longer, once this is over we're going for ramen, and I'm buying."

Kuroto was about to start stuttering when she saw Kakashi push her away as a black mass of chakra appeared in between them. "Right now though, we have a mission." Kakashi said landing on his feet.

"Hell yes!" Kuroto shouted as her chakra cloak grew over her body. "I'm coming mom." She said to herself as she bent down on all fours before pouncing at Obito who raised his hand to meet her.

"There's two of us here Dad!" Kakashi shouted punching Obito in the side of the head.

Obito was about to turn when the strike from Kuroto landed driving him down into the ground.

XXXX

In his subconscious Obito managed to hold onto that one image. A pair of big brown eyes looking at him lovingly. "Rin." Obito said to himself.

"There's two of us here Dad!" Came an unfamiliar voice to Obito.

"Dad?" He asked looking around the darkness. "Naruto and Sasuke never called me dad." He said to himself shaking his head. "The only one who should call me dad is Kakashi."

He opened his eyes wide when everything started coming back to him.

XXXX

"It's ready!" Minato shouted holding the massive attack over his head. "This is the power of us!" He screamed leaping into the air and landing directly in front of the recovering Obito. He slammed the jutsu into the man. "Save my dad!" He screamed forcing the attack forward into the Uchiha.

"Minato." Kakashi said in shock as he felt the massive amount of chakra forced into the attack.

Kuroto put her hand on the boy's hand adding her own chakra into it. "For our parents." She said nodding to the boy.

"For the all of them." Kakashi said adding his hand in.

"For the world." Minato said with power as he pushed all of the chakra he had into the attack.

"Gah!" They all screamed at once pushing everything they had into the swirling madness.

"Snap out of it dad!" Kakashi screamed.

XXXX

Obito was fighting for the memories when he heard the voice one more time. "Snap out of it dad!"

"Kakashi." Obito said as he realized what was happening. He looked around and forced his mind to come back together until he was no longer a prisoner.

XXXX

"Now!" Minato shouted as the massive attack in his hand launched away from them forcing Obito into the air.

The blond fell back onto the ground breathing heavily. "That was a lot of chakra."

"Especially for a surgeon." Itachi said walking next to him.

"Asshole." Minato panted.

Kakashi continued to look up into the sky. He saw where the jutsu fell in on itself, and in the air he could still see his father floating. "This isn't over." He said through gritted teeth before disappearing.

"Where did he?" Kuroto asked in shock when she heard a loud shout from the sky.

"Get back down there!" Kakashi screamed as he slammed his fist into Obito's face propelling him back to the ground with a deafening roar as he descended back to the ground landing with a boom and leaving only a dust cloud behind.

Kakashi reappeared next to Minato clutching his hand as he fell to the ground. "I never got that ability right." He said holding his hand. "Never had the chakra control for it."

Obito lifted himself up from the crater he was inside of as he looked to where his son was holding his hand. The Jinchuuriki placed his hand on the cheek that had absorbed the blow. "Hm." Obito said smiling as he turned around and started walking towards the unconscious Jinchuuriki.

"Mom!" Kasai screamed running back towards the group.

She only stopped when Kakashi appeared in front of her. "Don't worry." He said as he fell to the ground. "He's back." Using his good hand he pushed himself back up. "That attack Minato used knocked him back to reality."

"Then why did you hit him again?" The young Nii girl asked.

"Good Measure." Kakashi said slowly standing back up.

Sakura stared in shock as her sensei now stood in front of her. She could feel the raw power he was emitting. "Hello Sakura." He said kneeling next to her. "You've done well." He said putting his hand on her head. "You've kept all of them alive." He looked to Kabuto. "I should thank you as well."

"I'm only here for Minato." Kabuto replied simply.

"Fair enough." Obito said standing back to his feet.

He held his hand in a seal as seven bursts of chakra shot out of him.

Yugito pushed herself up when she felt herself instantly tackled. She was about to react violently when she recognized the scent. "I'm fine kitten." She said petting Kasai's head.

"Mom." The girl said as tears started to fall from her eyes.

Kakashi watched as everyone had their reunion, but his mother had yet to move. "No." He said slowly moving towards her. "It's not fair!" He screamed as he ran to her falling to the ground. "Damn you!" He screamed. "It's not fair!" He screamed as he punched the ground. "Not her!" He screamed as tears fell from his eyes.

Kuroto watched in shock, seeing him fall apart like this was horrible. Making it worse she knew there wasn't a damn thing she could do to make him feel better.

Obito bent down in front of Rin and pulled her head to his chest. "I love you." He said before titling her head up and kissing her lips.

Obito felt the sure of chakra leave his body as he started to feel the woman in his arms move again. "I love you too." She said back with a smile.

Kakashi looked up in shock before running back towards his mother and hugged her and inadvertently wrapped his arms around Obito as well. "Mom." He said as tears of joy fell from his eyes.

Obito stood up again and looked to where Sarada and Hinata were standing. "Sasuke." He said quietly before sitting on the ground and closing his eyes.

XXXX

Naruto was standing in an empty room. The ground looked like a bottomless sea but he didn't even need to add chakra to float on it.

"It's been a long time." Obito said smiling at the blond.

"Obito Sensei?" Naruto asked in shock. "How are you here?" He asked in shock.

Obito smiled as he started to tell Naruto the story of what happened.

XXXX

 _"Sorry old friend, you have one last thing you need to do." Kakashi Hatake said standing in front of Obito._

 _"Kakashi?" Obito asked shocked and looking around. "Where are we, I remember saving Naruto from Minato Sensei, and that's it."_

 _"You're dead." Kakashi said simply._

 _"Dead?" Obito asked shocked as he looked around frantically. "I can't be dead, Rin is going to kill me!"_

 _Kakashi laughed at his old friend. "You never change."_

 _"And what's that supposed to mean?" Obito asked balling his fist at the man._

 _"Nothing." Kakashi said waving him off. "Now for the important part." He said his tone becoming serious._

 _"Ok." Obito said in all seriousness._

 _"You're the Sage of Six Paths." Kakashi said simply._

 _Obito waited for a moment before he started to look around. "Is this some kind of practical joke? I mean I'm flattered, but I'm just Obito Uchiha."_

 _"Just Obito Uchiha he says." Kakashi said rubbing his face. "Of course you're you." Kakashi said with a long sigh. "But just like Naruto and Sasuke are the reincarnations of Ashura, and Indra, you're the reincarnation of Hagoromo Otsutsuki."_

 _Obito picked out his ear. "So what?" He asked shrugging his shoulders._

 _Kakashi narrowed his eyes at the Uchiha. "You already know why that's important don't you?"_

 _Obito smirked at his friend. "If I do?" He asked the man in front of him._

 _Kakashi sighed before continuing. "That means you are one of the few in the world who has a chance to stand against Kaguya Otsutsuki, should she ever be revived."_

 _"But… I… am… dead!" Obito shouted at his friend. "How can I help?"_

 _"You'll see." Kakashi said chuckling. "I'm glad you had a happy life." He said before looking away. "About those things I said when I attacked the Leaf."_

 _Obito clapped his best friend on the shoulder. "It's water under the bridge. I mean what kind of Hokage holds a grudge even in death?"_

 _XXXX_

Naruto stared in shock at his sensei. "So I'm the reincarnation of Indra?" He asked pointing to himself.

"Ashura." Obito corrected. "Sasuke is Indra."

"This is so confusing!" Naruto shouted while holding his head.

"I know." Obito said laughing at his student before his face grew stern and serious. "As the Sage I can't beat her alone."

"But we stopped the Ten Tails." Naruto said cocking his head to the side.

Obito shook his head. "I couldn't give you back all of your Biju chakra. In fact, most of it is still inside of me."

"And?" Naruto asked expecting the 'but'.

"She's going to break out of me soon." Obito said simply. "And our only chance is if you use that power again." He said raising his right hand to Naruto.

Naruto slowly raised his hand to Obito's.

XXXX

Sasuke stood in a dark endless sea. "So this is what it's like to die?" He asked crossing his arms.

"Not quite." Obito said looking around the vast emptiness. "You were close though." He said with a smile.

"I've missed you." Sasuke said turning his back to Obito.

"Thanks little brother." Obito said laughing.

"So what's the plan?" Sasuke asked turning back around.

"Straight to the point." Obito said laughing again. "Well I suppose I should start with explaining how I'm alive."

XXXX

 _Obito stood across from Madara as he started to glow and fade before they were both in another location altogether._

 _"We don't have much time." The former Uchiha head said to the current._

 _"I'm listening." Obito said crossing his arms._

 _"The creature that imbued you with your wood release." Madara began. "I belive he has been using the both of us from the beginning."_

 _"Zetsu?" Obito asked scratching the back of his head. "That doesn't sound like him."_

 _"That's the point." Madara said quickly. "I had planned on using you for my own purposes."_

 _"Now that sounds like you." Obito said nodding his head._

 _"He plans to revive the Ten Tails, the progenitor of all chakra." Madara said crossing his arms. "I once believed it was to serve my purposes on activating the Inifintie Tsukuyomi, but now I believe he has something else in mind."_

 _"Which is?"_

 _"To bring the world to its knees." Madara said glaring at Obito. "While just a few minutes ago that was my goal, I now see that your way is the correct one. The same method that your other predecessor once hoped to use in unifying the people."_

 _Obito smiled at the praise but felt the killer intent come off of Madara. "You are one of the few who are able to stop him." He added narrowing his eyes. "I will use my own power to create a seal."_

 _"What for?" Obito asked cocking his head to the side._

 _"If and when the Ten Tails is revived you shall be immediately alerted." Madara said quietly. "Even in death this seal shall revive you." He closed his eyes opening his Sharingan. "Izanagi." He said as Obito felt the surge of chakra in his own body._

 _"Promise me Obito." Madara said as the genjutsu fell apart. "Should the Ten Tails ever be unleashed, you shall defeat it."_

 _"I promise." Obito said giving him a thumbs up._

 _"I expect the Uchiha are in good hands." Madara said before disappearing for the final time._

 _XXXX_

"So you're here to stop Kaguya?" Sasuke asked crossing his arms. "I've already seen her once before."

"You have?" Obito asked in shock.

"When you gave Naruto the power of all nine tailed beasts." Sasuke said remembering one of the scariest moments of his life. "He didn't kill Orochimaru fast enough, and nearly got absorbed by that woman. If it weren't for everyone he would've died."

Obito nodded his head happily. "I've been watching over you guys." He said smiling at his brother. "I was able to see Naruto become the Hokage, the two of you start families of your own."

Sasuke looked away from his older brother as he crossed his arms. "I know I've made mistakes." Sasuke said looking at the ground.

"It's not too late to make up for it either." Obito said as he smiled at the younger Uchiha. "You aren't dead yet, it's not too late for you to be there for your family."

Sasuke smiled as he looked back up at Obito. "I take it you've seen Kakashi."

Obito smiled as he rubbed the back of his head. "He's quite the kid huh?"

"No." Sasuke said shaking his head. "He's a great man, you should be proud."

"More than you can imagine." Obito said before raising his hand up.

"What's this?" Sasuke asked looking at the chakra wafting off of Obito.

"Our only chance." Obito said sternly. "I can't use this power, but you can."

Sasuke nodded his head as he put his hand on Obito's.

XXXX

Obito opened his eyes as he heard his family celebrating Naruto and Sasuke waking up. He walked over to the clearing and smiled as he saw the moon rising into the sky.

Zetsu landed in front of Obito glaring at the man. "Do you really think you've won?"

"No." Obito said shaking his head. "I still feel her inside of me." He said coldly. "But it's my choice as to who I give her chakra."

"What?" Zetsu asked as Obito put his hand on the man's chest.

"Just a taste of your own medicine." Obito said as he released all of the Biju chakra into Zetsu.

"Damn you Hagoromo!" Zetsu screamed as his body started to bulge and twist into another shape.

"Naruto, Sasuke!" Obito shouted behind himself. "It's time."

Naruto and Sasuke landed beside their brother and they all looked up as a vision of white hair looked down at them, with piercing white eyes. "My children." Kaguya said looking at the trio.

"Sorry." Naruto said cracking his knuckles as chakra spread over his body.

"We aren't your children." Sasuke said glaring at Kaguya.

"You aren't part of our family." Obito said with a smirk as the entire family stood behind them.


	44. Chapter 44

**AN: Posting this now because I'm not sure if I'll get the chance later in the day. This chapter is the entiretly of the final battle against Kaguya, and once it's over listen to the songs. "Don't forget about me", and "7 Years." It's what I was listening to when I wrote it. Thank you for the support so far, and please review it's what keeps me going until 2:30 AM just so that I know I have a chapter to post.**

Kaguya looked around as she slowly descended to the ground. "You have not returned to me all of my power."

"And you're not going to get it." Obito shouted.

"Charge!" Itachi shouted as Minato followed beside him.

Kaguya raised her hands as spikes flew from them ready to strike each boy.

Kakashi's eyes widened in shock, reacting instantly he appeared in front of Minato pulling the boy out of the way. Beside him Sasuke did the same for Itachi. "Space time?" Kakashi asked shocked when he saw that one of Sasuke's eyes now possessed a Rinnegan.

"Dad?" Itachi asked looking up at his father. "You saved me?"

"Of course." Sasuke said looking up at the goddess. "No one threatens my family!" He screamed charging forward his hand surrounded by black lightning.

Hinata ran beside him as she swung her hand down on the Otsutsuki. "Don't you touch my son!"

"You aren't enough." Kaguya said flying into the air.

"Mine!" Naruto shouted leaping into the air as he continued to fly.

"He can fly?" Rin asked in shock.

Obito smiled at his wife. "Ready for one last fight?"

Rin nodded her head. "You aren't leaving me out of this one."

"It's been a long time since we've fought side by side." Obito said holding his staff out beside him.

"Follow my lead." Rin said punching her palm.

"Just like our marriage." Obito said as the two of them leapt into the air towards Kaguya.

Naruto flew through the air wielding his truth seeker orbs and rearranging their shape as he moved. "Last time I used this power I had much less chakra!"

"You welp!" Kaguya shouted as she flew towards Naruto.

"I've been called worse!" Naruto said with a smirk and a wink from his amber crossed eyes.

Kaguya stopped when she saw that he only had eight seeker orbs with him.

"Cha!" Sakura screamed coming from behind Kaguya punching her towards the Hokage.

"Thanks!" Naruto shouted as he kicked Kaguya into the air. "Sasuke!" Naruto shouted tossing a kunai after her.

"Right!" Sasuke shouted switching places with the kunai and kicking Kaguya back towards the ground.

Minato stood below the descending woman, his sage chakra active as he pulled his fist back, at the perfect moment where she was level with him he punched her away. "All yours Itachi!"

"Of course." Itachi said his eyes switching to their Rinnegan state. He held his arm out as missiles fired from his arm slamming into the woman with an explosion.

"Don't lose her!" Naruto shouted floating beside his former teammates who were standing on his seeker orbs.

"Right!" Kakashi yelled jumping after the woman and teleporting directly in front of her. "Gah!" He screamed as red chakra spread over his body and a single tail flapped behind him. He slammed his chakra covered foot onto her head forcing her back down towards the ground.

Kakashi teleported below himself catching Kaguya and throwing her in the other direction. He continued this process of attacking and teleporting to her next location.

"Insolent!" Kaguya swore as she flew through the air. She aimed her hand where she knew the Uchiha was going to appear and just as he did she fired the spike.

Kakashi's eyes widened as he saw the projectile inches away from himself as he saw it swirl into oblivion. "Keep going!" Obito screamed.

Kakashi nodded his head as he saw where the next attack would come from. He kicked Kaguya away from himself, and instead of teleporting after her he watched what happened next.

"Eight Trigrams: 256 Palms!" Hinata and Sarada shouted as they activated their Byakugans and charged at the goddess. Their hands started to move so fast that Sasuke and Itachi weren't even able to follow. "Twin Lions Roar!" They screamed slamming their palms hurling her away from themselves.

"You ready?" Obito asked Rin.

"Always." She said nodding her head as they followed after the airborne woman.

"Enough." Kaguya said as she started to raise her hands.

"Teleportation is our thing!" Obito shouted as he looked at everyone in their family and they all started to swirl away with Kaguya.

XXXX

The group appeared in the Kamui dimension. Obito stumbled for a moment before looking up proudly. "Naruto, Sasuke, there's no need to hold back here, she won't."

Kaguya leered at him as her body started to shift and morph until it looked like a gigantic rabbit.

"One last time." Naruto said to himself as he looked to Sasuke. "You ready for the finale?"

Sasuke smiled as he unclipped his cloak walking beside Naruto. "Dobe."

Naruto smirked, "Teme." He said as the two of them started to scream until across from Kaguya stood a fully armored Kurama.

Kakashi stared in awe as they moved in unison to create a titan among titans.

Kaguya swung a massive paw down that Kurama blocked with his purple blade. "She's strong!" The Biju cursed.

"What did you expect?" Naruto grunted.

"Would you two stop bickering?" Sasuke asked.

"Wouldn't be the same if we didn't." Naruto said grinning at his brother.

"I suppose you're right." Sasuke said as he added more chakra and the Susanoo spurted wings as Kurama flew after the midair Kaguya.

"What do we do?" Rin asked Obito.

"Wait." He said holding his hand in front of her. "We're only going to get one shot at stopping her."

"We'll move on your order." Kakashi said standing beside Obito. "Dad." He added with a smile.

"Don't forget us." Sarada said standing beside her brother.

"Never could forget the legendary Team Kakashi." Obito chuckled.

"Damn right." Itachi said nodding his head.

"I'm here too." Hinata said standing beside Rin.

"It's not fair." Sakura said shrugging her shoulders. "I'm part of their team."

"Kakashi." Obito said looking towards his son. "We're going to need you to be fast."

"You got it." The Uchiha said nodding his head.

Naruto and Sasuke flew through the air blocking each of Kaguya's massive strikes. "Your power is borrowed!" She shouted. "All of your power belongs to me."

"We make our own power!" Naruto shouted as he pushed the chakra into Kurama's mouth. "And you can't take what's ours!" He screamed as a Tailed Beast Bomb launched out of the fox's mouth slamming into the bunny.

"Pathetic." Kaguya said as she took the blast without much damage.

"When?" Kakashi asked bending his legs with his Mangekyo active.

"Wait!" Obito shouted. "It's not time."

Itachi balled his fist as he ran forward towards the massive beast. "Minato, get me up there!"

"Right!" The blond shouted following after.

"Minato!" Sakura shouted but stopped when she saw Obito looking at her.

"They're part of this." He said calmly. "Trust the next generation."

"Ok." Sakura said trusting her sensei.

Itachi ran as he saw his friend covered in red chakra. "Throw me up there!" He shouted as he jumped into the air.

Minato reached out with his chakra arm and spun before throwing Itachi towards Kaguya.

He slammed into the massive white mass. "Let's see how you do without your precious chakra." He said as he started to suck from the massive well of power she had. "It's so much." He said as a grin crossed his face and he continued to drink from the power.

"Be careful Naruto." Sasuke said noticing his son.

"I see him." Naruto said calmly. "Kurama it's time." Naruto said as the fox was reabsorbed by Naruto.

"I hope you have a plan." Sasuke said as the two began to fall.

Naruto adjusted his fall in midair so that he was looking at Sasuke. "Brother." He said before aiming his palm at Sasuke.

The Uchiha smiled and closed his eyes before doing the same. "Brother." He said reaching his hand out.

"Now!" Obito screamed at the group.

Sakura and Rin jumped into the air their seals spread over their bodies. "Cha!" They both screamed slamming their fists into Kaguya hurling her away from them.

Obito looked to Hinata and Sarada as the two readied a massive lion blast between them. "Kakashi send her back!"

"Right!" The Uchiha said before disappearing and reappearing behind Kaguya. "Hang on." He said putting his hand on her shoulder. The two appeared in front of Hinata.

"Now!" Sarada screamed as mother and daughter used their strongest attack.

The chakra lion spread over Kaguya before exploding around her.

Obito held his hands away from one another as a Rasengan formed in one hand and a Chidori formed in the other. "Rasenchidori!" He screamed slamming the attack into her.

"Universal Pull!" Itachi shouted pulling the woman towards himself and Minato. "You ready?" He asked the blond.

"Always." Minato said as his sage marking spread again. The duo leapt forward pulling their fists back and punching Kaguya in the face.

Kakashi realized what was supposed to happen so he teleported behind Kaguya. "One last ride darlin." He said putting his hand on her shoulder and reappearing between Naruto and Sasuke. "She's all yours." He said teleporting away from her and landing beside his father.

Naruto and Sasuke put their hands on Kaguya. "Planetary Devastation!" They shouted.

Obito looked in shock. This family that was started by him and Rin literally just saved the world. He felt her interlace her fingers with his and rest her head on his shoulder. "They're really something." She said just enjoying being close to him again.

"Yeah." Obito said wiping a tear away.

Naruto and Sasuke landed on the ground and looked up as the rocks around Kaguya started to form from the terrain around them. Naruto let out a breath as the chakra around him disappeared. Nine Tailed beasts formed out of the rock and landed on the ground.

Obito took a deep breath before opening his Mangekyo and disappearing with everything except Kaguya's moon.

XXXX

Kuroto watched in shock as the entire family plus the Tailed Beasts formed from swirling air. "Kakashi!" She shouted running to the Uchiha who was staring blankly ahead. "You idiot." She said hugging him.

Obito smiled looking at his son holding a beautiful woman when his face grew serious. "You're blind now, aren't you?"

"Was hoping you wouldn't notice." Kakashi said slightly turning his head. "I was already losing my sight when I fought Itachi, now I can't even see right in front of me." He said tightening his grip on Kuroto.

Rin covered her mouth in shock as everyone surrounded them. "How can we give him the Eternal Mangekyo?" Sasuke asked standing beside Obito.

"I know how." Obito said walking in front of his son. "I know I couldn't be there for you growing up, but hopefully this could make up for some of it." He put his hands over Kakashi's and closed his eyes. "With these eyes, see the future you want to live."

Kakashi slowly opened his eyes to see his father in front of him with his eyes closed. "Thank you." Kakashi said letting go of Kuroto and standing in front of Obito. "I meant what I said." He said strongly. "I will surpass you in time."

"You've already done that." Obito said pulling his son into a hug. "You are the greatest thing I ever did." He whispered in Kakashi's ear.

Obito walked away from his son and stood in front of Rin. "I have always loved you." He said before giving her a passionate kiss. "Don't be in a rush to follow me." He said walking away from her.

He stood in front of Sasuke. "Remember what I said." He said strongly. "It's not too late for you."

"Thank you." Sasuke said extending his hand.

Obito put his hand in Sasuke's as they shook. "It was good seeing you again Little Brother."

Obito walked until he stood in front of the genin. "You three did amazing." He said smiling at them. "I know we never met but…" He stopped as Sarada hugged him. "It was a privilege to meet you."

Obito turned to look at Sakura who was fighting tears. "Sakura." He said choking up himself. "You've grown into a strong and powerful woman, I am proud to have once called you my student."

"Obito Sensei." Sakura said rapping her arms around the Uchiha.

"Take care." Obito said kissing the top of her head.

Obito walked away before turning back to the group and opening his now Rinnegan eyes. In his hand his staff reformed and his skin became pale once again. Ten Seeker orbs floated behind him. "If I could stay with you, I would. But dead men have no place on this world, I did what I came back to do, and now it's up to the rest of you."

Kakashi nodded his head as he refused to wipe away the tears falling from his eyes. "Family!" He shouted.

"Family!" Everyone but Naruto shouted.

XXXX

 _Naruto stood in front of Obito who was holding his hand out. "You know what happens if you do this right? Your body can't do this twice."_

 _"For them, I'd do anything." Naruto said strongly putting his hand on Obito's. "I learned that from you."_

 _XXXX_

"Let's go Naruto." Obito said solemly.

"What?" Sakura asked looking over at her husband. "What is he talking about?"

"He already used all of their power once." Sasuke said looking at the Biju surrounding them. "Using it a second time was too much for his body."

Instantly Sakura's hands turned green as she started checking over Naruto. Her eyes shot open as she looked up at him. "All of your organs are failing."

"Dad." Minato said as tears began to fall from his face. "I don't want you to go!" He shouted running to his father. "It's not fair!" He screamed hugging the man.

"I know." Naruto said bending down to his son's level. His face had already started to sink in and his skin was turning pale. "I need you to promise me something."

"What?" Minato asked trying to fight back the tears as his father gave him his final mission.

"Live a life worth living." Naruto said sternly. "I want you to one day have the same feeling I do in this moment. When you know it's the end, I want you to be able to look back and smile. If that means you become the greatest ninja the world as ever seen, you do that. If it means becoming a magnificent surgeon and spend your life saving lives, then you do exactly that."

"I promise." Minato said pursing his lips.

"And remember." Naruto said putting his hand on Minato's shoulder. "There's nothing strong about hiding your emotions. If you need to cry, than let out your emotions."

"Dad!" Minato shouted wrapping his arms around Naruto's neck.

"I will always love you." He said holding the boy.

Naruto stood up holding his son and walked towards Sakura. "Thank you." He said smiling at his bride. "You filled my life with happiness, even when I couldn't find any for myself."

Sakura openly wept as she hugged her husband for the last time. "Baka." She cried before their lips met for the last time.

Sakura took her son in her arms as Naruto walked away.

The Hokage stood in front of Kakashi. "Never forget." Naruto said looking at his student. "You are Kakashi Uchiha of the Hidden Leaf. Always fight with purpose and you'll never be wrong"

"I will." Kakashi said with a slight bow. "Sensei."

Naruto looked at Rin who was crying as she looked at him. "I owe you so much." He said as they hugged. "Please keep watching over everyone." Naruto said as he started crying.

"Bringing you home was one of the best decisions I ever made." Rin said crying into his chest. "You will always be my first baby."

"Thank you." Naruto said hugging her tightly before walking towards his last goodbye.

Naruto stood in front of Sasuke. "I don't know what to say here." Naruto chuckled as he wiped the tears from his face.

A single tear fell from Sasuke's face. "Do you remember that first day?" The Uchiha asked. "When I first came to live with you?"

"Are you going to be a part of our family too?" Naruto asked smiling.

"Sure that sounds nice." Sasuke said extending his hand out.

Naruto ignored the hand as he pulled his brother into an embrace. "Brother."

Sasuke wrapped his arms around Naruto. "Brother." He said as tears fell from both eyes.

Naruto walked beside Obito again. "I'm ready." He said smiling as the two began to fade away.

Naruto turned around one more time giving his trademark smile. "I love you all! Believe it!"

And with that the two of them were gone.


	45. Chapter 45

Sarada stood over a gasping Zetsu. "Freak." The creature choked out. "Even if you've won, your symbols of hope are gone now." It started to laugh through his tough breathing. "Soon the Uchiha will fall."

Sarada raised her sandal on top of the creature's head smashing it completely. "Not if I have anything to say about it."

She turned around to see her family grieving and even her father was holding Rin tightly. She sniffled from the raw emotion everyone was feeling. She felt someone tap on her shoulder.

She turned around and came face to face with Kasai. "Have you seen Minato?"

Sarada activated her Byakugan looking around. "I can't find him." She said narrowing her eyes.

Kuroto walked next to the others. "Kakashi is gone too."

"What?" Sakura asked looking around. "Where is he?"

Sasuke looked around the area. "Itachi is gone too." He turned to look at Sarada but stopped when she was gone now too. "What?" He asked balling his fist. "This isn't the time." He said scanning the area for any chakra.

XXXX

"Stop!" Minato screamed landing on Hashirama's head looking across as Itachi stood on Madara's.

"Is this where you try to save me?" Itachi asked turning around and looking at his old friend. "Our fathers tried this, remember? And the Uchiha won."

"That's not why I'm here." Minato said balling his fists shocking Itachi. "I'm here for you."

"What?" Itachi asked confused. "You aren't here to take me back to the village?"

"No." Minato said as his sage marks spread over his face. "I'm here to kill you!"

"What?" Itachi asked still just as confused but dodged the strike that Minato had aimed at him. "Are you crazy?"

"You killed him!" Minato screamed grabbing Itachi by the arm and hurling him off the cliff towards the water below.

Itachi slammed into the water below and slowly floated back to the top. "You're insane." He said pulling himself back on top of the water. "He died because he used the power of all the Biju again!"

Minato jumped from Madara's head and jumped down towards Itachi. "Rasengan!" He screamed forming the blue orb in his hand.

Itachi dodged the massive chakra orb that sent ripples through the entire lake. "He made the choice!"

"He did it because of you!" Minato screamed as red chakra spread over his body. "You decided to bring Kaguya back!" The boy said holding his head as he lost control of the chakra.

"Idiot." Itachi said. "I can see that I won't be able to talk you down. Fine do your best, but you won't kill me."

Minato leapt forward swinging his arm at his former friend. "I'm going to rip you to pieces!" He screamed as Itachi was hurled through the air.

"Universal Pull!" Itachi screamed raising his arm to Minato as he flew through the air, pulling the blond towards himself.

Minato followed the motion and brought his fist back but Itachi had already thrusted a chakra rod into the blond's chest. "Like I said." Itachi narrowed his eyes. "You can't defeat me, now there's only one person alive who can do that."

"You made my mom cry!" Minato screamed slamming his fists down forcing Itachi to sink into the water. The blond screamed as he waited for Itachi to launch from the water.

The Uchiha appeared out of the water and landed on the side of the mountain. "Stop while you still can." He said standing straight. "There's nothing you can do to beat me with these eyes." He said pointing to his Rinnegan. "I have something you never will."

"And what's that?" Minato asked bearing his teeth.

"This." Itachi said as his hair turned white along with his skin. "You forgot, I absorbed Kaguya's chakra." He opened his eyes as a third opened on his forehead. "You'll never stop me like this."

Minato bent down as more tails started to spread behind him. "We beat Uncle Obito when he was like that."

"And it took all of us." Itachi said with a smile as a staff appeared in his hand. "I suppose this is fitting." Itachi said smiling. "You gave up your life as a ninja to save my sister, now you're going to give your life up to me."

Minato didn't say anything as he charged forward at his former friend. The sage marks stayed on is body beneath the red chakra. He pulled his hand back as a Rasengan formed in his hand. "Die!" He screamed as he approached Itachi.

"Minato!" Itachi screamed as he charged forward holding his staff to strike.

"Stop!" Sarada screamed landing between the two.

Both of their eyes widened but it was too late for either of them to stop their attacks.

Sarada braced herself as she felt a shadow above her. She looked up to see Kakashi had kicked both of them away from one another. "Enough!" Kakashi said standing up after landing.

"Never!" Minato screamed leaping into the air.

"Out of my way!" Itachi screamed leaping towards Kakashi and swinging his staff at his fellow Uchiha.

Reacting instantly Kakashi grabbed Sarada and teleported the two of them away from the attack. "What's gotten into them?" Kakashi asked looking as he saw the blood lust they were both showing on their faces.

"You killed him!" Minato screamed charging forward on all fours. "You made my mom cry!" He screamed as he swung his fist into Itachi's face.

The young Uchiha flew into the wall of the mountain. "I can't hold this form long." He said to himself as he pushed himself free.

"We need to stop them." Sarada said watching as the two boys both tried killing the other.

"Leave it to me." Kakashi said as he tightened his headband. "I won't let my comrades die."

Minato ducked under one of Itachi's staff swings. "You're slowing down, only a matter of time before I wear you down." Minato said between strikes.

"Just preparing a final attack." Itachi said kicking Minato away and leaping into the air. "Massive Truth Seeker Orb!" He shouted as behind him a gigantic black orb formed behind him. His third eye closed as he pushed all of Kaguya's chakra into the attack. "With this I will free myself from everything!"

Minato glared up at his opponent. He knew there was no way that he was going to be able to dodge it, his only chance was to use more of the Kurama chakra.

"Now," Itachi said pulling his arm back. "Disappear!" He shouted throwing the massive orb of chakra down.

Kakashi stood in front of Minato and opened his now Eternal Mangekyo. "Kamui!" He shouted as the gigantic attack swirled away into nothingness.

Minato grinned like an animal as he saw Itachi land back on the ground. "You've used your one trump card." He flexed his arms back as a fourth tail sprouted behind him. "And I'm just getting warmed up."

Itachi blinked and Minato was already in front of him kicking him in the face knocking him over. The next thing he knew Minato had an iron grip on his leg and was swinging him around by the red chakra arm. "Now die!" He screamed slamming him into the Cliffside.

"You both need to stop." Kakashi said standing in front of Minato. "I won't stand by and let someone kill my students."

"But he killed my father!" Minato rationalized. "He deserves to die, he killed your sensei!"

"I know." Kakashi said nodding his head. "And killing him won't bring back anyone."

"I know it won't." Minato said swinging his arm at Kakashi and throwing him the other direction. "But it's what's right!" He charged ahead at Itachi who was barely standing now.

"Planetary Devastation!" Itachi yelled as he threw the gravity orb at Minato, who was quickly bombarded by rocks and other debris.

"This won't stop me!" Minato screamed as he fought against the gravity.

"Let him go!" Kakashi said landing in front of Itachi, red chakra spreading over his body.

"No." Itachi said glaring at his sensei. "He is a part of this broken system, he represents the legacy of the Jinchuuriki." He looked closely at Kakashi. "And so do you." He turned to look at Sarada. "Help me eliminate them, you white eyed freak!" He snapped.

Sarada closed her eyes as chakra spread over her body. "Don't you call me that!" She screamed as she glared at her brother. Within her white eyes now sat three tomoe on a red ring. "No one is ever going to call me that again!"

Itachi gasped as Sarada charged forward swinging her palm at him.

"Almighty Push!" He shouted just before her attack landed sending her and Kakashi in different directions. "I'm getting tired of you all." He said as he snarled. "I've already neutralized Minato, now once I kill you all there will only be one person in this world who can stand against me."

"Dad." Sarada said as she realized where he was going.

"Exactly." Itachi said smiling. "And once I do that amazing eye of his will be mine."

Kakashi pushed himself back to his feet, the water dripping all around him. "You're forgetting something."

"And what's that?" Itachi asked, his voice full of contempt.

"We're surrounded by water." Kakashi said as the water around him began to move in waves. "Enough people have died today, don't let yourself be another casualty to this pointless battle."

Itachi was about to speak when from inside of the moon over their heads a massive red chakra fox burst through looking down at them. "He still has this much power?"

"Itachi!" The fox screamed as it opened its mouth and a tailed beast bomb began to form. "Die!" It screamed as the attack slammed down where Itachi was.

Kakashi reappeared on top of Hashirama's head holding Itachi by the collar. "Minato, you need to calm down!"

"I am calm!" Minato shouted as his massive body crawled out of the moon and landed on the ground beneath. "Stand aside Kakashi, I have no desire to kill you too, but I will if I have to."

Kakashi balled his fists. "The future I want to see." He said to himself as Itachi looked up to him in shock. "Involves you all!" He screamed as he leapt towards the massive chakra fox. Around him blue chakra began to spread and grow until he stood within a full body Susanoo.

Itachi stared in shock as his sensei had gone from being better to him, to weaker, and now he wasn't sure which of them was stronger.

"Don't forget me!" Sarada shouted slamming her foot into her brother's head. "You've called me freak for the last time, you petulant ass!"

"You don't stand a chance in this fight." Itachi said standing to his feet again. "The three of us have reached the power of gods while you have some Byakushraingan that makes you look like an even bigger freak!"

"I said stop!" She screamed as red chakra lions appeared on her hands. "I'm going to stop you!" She screamed jumping forward and swinging her palms.

"Almighty Push." He said, but Sarada cut through the gravity chakra and slammed her palms into Itachi's chest.

"Gah!" Itachi said as blood shot out of his mouth. "That's it." He said wiping the blood from his mouth. "Everybody dies!" He screamed as he started to fly into the air.

He floated above the valley, his sister staring at him while Kakashi and Minato battled. "Almighty Push!" He shouted as a massive gravity force burst through the valley crushing everything in its path.

He floated down to the now flat ground and looked around. "Finally." He said before looking up to the sky. "I am the only one left now." He added before he started to walk away, but he stopped when he heard a bit of the dirt around him start to move.

Minato crawled out of the dirt, his seal spreading over his body. "That was almost enough." He said slowly standing to his feet. "This ends between us." Minato said before spitting out some blood.

Kakashi pulled himself out of the dirt, his clothes ripped to pieces leaving him just a torn shirt, and tattered pants. "You two need to stop." He said breathing heavily. "No one else needs to die."

"Just one." Minato said narrowing his eyes. "But if you get in my way, I won't hesitate to swat you back down."

"Damn it!" Kakashi screamed. "I was there when both of you were born, I refuse to go to your funerals."

"Then don't." Itachi said his eyes leaving their Rinnegan state and forming to their normal Sharingan look. "However this ends here."

"Yes it does." Sarada said pushing herself free. She had a massive gash over her right eye leaving a bloody trail beneath it. "It started with the four of us, and that's how it will end."

Kakashi started to cough blood onto the ground. "I can tell that none of us have much chakra left."

"Then we finish this all at once." Minato said holding his arm back as a Rasengan that had thick lines from his seal coursing through it formed.

"Agreed." Itachi said as fire Rasengan formed in his hands.

"Both of you need to stop!" Kakashi cursed before he saw Sarada hold her hand out as a Rasengan with her red charka laced through it formed. "You too?"

"If this is how we all end, then that's fine with me." Sarada said looking at each of them with her single eye.

Kakashi looked at the determination they all had etched on their faces. "If you go, so do I." He said quietly as a water Rasengan formed in his hand.

"Itachi!" Minato screamed as he ran forward.

"Minato!" Itachi screamed back mid charge.

Sarada silently forced her attack into the mix.

"This is the end!" Kakashi screamed as his water jutsu slammed into the others.

From a distance, it was even visible. The massive chakra spike was strong enough to be felt all over the world. But closer someone watched as a massive light went off seemingly obliterating everything around them.


	46. Chapter 46

Kakashi moved his body but found it hard to do so. "He's up." Came a calm voice.

"Good." Came a lighter voice. "He didn't need to get hurt."

"He had to stop you idiots." Sarada chided.

"What?" Kakashi asked slowly opening his eyes, but finding them covered.

"They put those on you three so keep you from using your dojutsus." Minato said slowly.

"Where are we?" Kakashi asked.

"The Leaf hospital." Minato replied. "After what happened Uncle Sasuke found us and brought us all back himself."

"How are you guys?" Minato asked his team. No one in the room said anything. "Guys?"

Minato let out a breath. "I'm fine, but that's only because of my seal." He took a deep breath before talking again. "Sarada and Itachi lost their arms in the blast."

"What?" Kakashi asked fighting against his restraints. "Are you going to be ok?"

"Aunt Sakura says with physical therapy we'll be mostly good as new." Sarada replied resting her head on her pillow.

"Good." Kakashi said relaxing. "You do know that the only reason I'm not still beating the shit out of you two is because I'm tied up?"

"That goes for most of us." Minato grumbled.

"These two are still ready to kill each other." Sarada interrupted. "Our moms couldn't even talk us down."

Kakashi started to fight against the restraints. "It's not worth it." Minato grumbled. "My dad made the seals on those, he couldn't even break out of them."

"How long have we been in here?" He asked the group.

"Dad brought us back here yesterday." Sarada replied.

The room went silent as the door opened. Kakashi could make out a single set of feet that stopped in what must've been the middle of the room. "I really wish I didn't have to do this." Sasuke started. "Against my wishes the council has named me as acting Hokage for the time being."

"So?" Itachi asked.

"So," Sasuke started with a breath and putting his hands in his pockets. "That means it's up to me to decide what happens to you all."

Kakashi rested back in his bed, resigned to his fate already prepared to face the consequences for what happened.

Sasuke cleared his throat. "All of you used an S class jutsu on the others, a jutsu that had it landed directly on any of you would've been fatal. So we've got attempted murder for all of you. Sarada you snuck out of the village endangering yourself and three other genin in a dangerous mission that was not assigned to you, and instead was meant for the Jinchuuriki."

"Itachi," He said quietly. "You were kidnapped from the village, so that means abandonment isn't a charge, but you did attempt to kill all five Kage, the remaining Jinchuuriki, your fellow Leaf ninjas, and worked to resurrect a long dead evil."

"I know what I did." Itachi said through gritted teeth. "Reviving Kaguya, may have been wrong, but my ideals still stand. This world is broken and needs to be fixed."

"I agree." Sasuke said nodding his head. "This system has taken my parents, and all three of my brothers. This ninja world needs to end, but the methods you used to do that were wildly terroristic."

"Minato," Sasuke said looking over at the blond. "You attacked your sensei, using an enormous amount of chakra that could've easily killed him a hundred times over. The only saving grace you have is that you aren't technically a ninja anymore. You're a civilian that defended himself against a ninja."

"Kakashi." Sasuke said looking towards the bound Uchiha. "You attacked your students, in an attempt to stop their fighting, but you resorted to using the Susanoo in combat against a civilian."

"You sound like you were there." Kakashi said calmly. "If you're bringing all these charges against us, why didn't you stop us?"

"There was no point." Sasuke said. "Sarada tried to stop the fighting, and so did you. Nothing was going to stop it, so I needed to let you all get burned out."

"Just get on with it!" Itachi shouted. "What sentences are we getting?"

Sasuke let out a breath. "The circumstances what they are, I and the council have elected to pardon Sarada of any charges. Minato was a citizen in a dangerous and emotional situation so he is being pardoned too."

"And us?" Kakashi asked.

"The village as decided that Itachi's power is too great to leave unchecked. They will be placing a modified Hyuuga curse mark on you."

"What?" Itachi snapped. "I refuse, no one is going to control me with those, you've spent years fighting those damn rules, and now you're just going to let them use one on me?"

"Enough!" Sasuke screamed his killing intent silencing everyone in the room. "Your seal will merely prevent you from using your Rinnegan. It shall be placed on your back so that it isn't a brand." Itachi calmed down. "There will be no control seals put in place. I had Naruto design the seal in case an Uchiha ever turned against the village again."

"That's a lot of power to give." Minato said. "And who's to decide what turning on the village means?"

"I am." Sasuke replied looking over his shoulder at his nephew. "I'm sorry if anything I ever did or didn't do pushed you here Itachi." He looked closely at his maimed son. "I failed as your father, but now as Hokage I have responsibilities. Your title as ninja will be taken away from you, as well as any claims you may have to the Uchiha clan head position."

"Good." Itachi grumbled.

Sasuke looked towards Kakashi. "As for you Kakashi." Sasuke said looking at the boy. "I have decided that you will continue your work as a shinobi."

"What?" Kakashi asked shocked.

"Your efforts in the war were noticed by myself as well as the other Kage." Sasuke replied. "Without you Naruto and I never would've sealed Kaguya. The other Kage stated that if you were stripped of your title they would break ties with us leaving me no choice."

Kakashi couldn't know for sure, but it sounded like Sasuke was smiling.

XXXX

After a few more days Minato walked out of the hospital. Itachi and Sarada were told they needed to stay longer because of their serious injuries. Kakashi was sent home before he was.

Minato pushed the front door to his house open. He frowned at how empty it felt now. He looked at the spot on the couch his father would always sit on. He balled his fists, he still hated Itachi for what happened, but he wasn't going to kill him. The bastard didn't deserve that quick an end, he deserved to see what happened to the people he hurt.

He pushed his bedroom door open and looked around, he was shocked to find that he was starting to feel numb to everything. He sat on his bed and looked across the room at the crutches he had to use before. He slowly walked up to them and put them under his arms just like before. "Guess I've gotten taller." He said to himself realizing that a lot had changed since he was injured.

He put the crutches back where they were and walked back into the house. He looked down the hall to his parents room. He pushed their door open slowly and looked around. He could still feel the slight remnant of his father's chakra in the room. He looked and saw two headbands sitting beside one another.

One of them was red with a small band. The other however was black and was much longer. He slowly picked up the headband and tied it around his head. He looked at himself in the mirror and looked to the side.

"You look just like him." Sakura said with a bitter sweet smile.

"I know I screwed up." Minato said untying the headband.

"Everyone understands why you went after Itachi." Sakura said walking up to the boy.

"That's not what I mean." Minato said shaking his head. "He went there to save me in the first place. If I had been stronger than he wouldn't have needed to come for me."

Sakura quickly stood in front of her son and slapped his face. "You can't think that way." She said slowly getting to her knees. "Nothing could ever stop your father from trying to be a hero." She pulled him into a hug. "You can't blame yourself for any of this."

Minato slowly put his arms around his mother as she started to cry on his shoulder. "It's ok mom, I'm here." He said holding her tighter.

XXXX

Kakashi stood in the middle of one of the training grounds. He started to move teleport from one spot to another striking each of the dummies he had set up before landing where he was originally standing. "Hey." Kuroto said walking up to the Uchiha.

"Kuroto!" Kakashi shouted shocked to see the girl again. "I thought you went back to Cloud."

"Mom sent me and Kasai here for a bit." She said sitting on the ground and looking up at the clouds.

"Oh." Kakashi said sitting beside her. "Sorry, I haven't tried to contact you sooner."

"You should be." Kuroto said smiling.

Kakashi chuckled at the girl. "What?" She asked scooting away from him.

"It's nothing." Kakashi said standing up and walking away from her. "You coming?" He asked over his shoulder.

"Where?" She asked cocking her head to the side.

"Ramen." He said smiling at the girl and winking.

XXXX

Itachi stood in front of the council, his hand was still bound and the seal on his back was preventing him from using his Rinnegan. "Itachi Uchiha." Choji said looking at the boy. "We have decided to hear your request."

Itachi took a breath. "I know my methods were wrong, but I still believe my over all goal to be right."

"Can you clarify what that is?" Neji asked looking at his nephew.

"To end this world of ninja." Itachi said coldly.

"What?" Choji asked standing to his feet. "Even after not being tried as an international criminal you still want to continue?"

"No." Itachi said shaking his head. "Like I said my methods were wrong. Stop this ninja world would be a better choice of words. Anyone who has been a ninja for any length of time understands what it means, and how easily you can lose everything. It is a flawed system, and while it is better than what it was even twenty years ago, a better way still exists."

"And what way is that?" Shikamaru asked.

"I don't know." Itachi said shaking his head. "My method failed, and rightfully so, but it's only a matter of time before someone better than me steps up and changes the world the right way."

"And who would that be?" Neji asked narrowing his eyes.

Itachi laughed to himself.

 **AN: Thank you everyone who has read this far. I am currently looking for beta readers for an original story I've been working on for a while and hope to get published soon. If anyone is interested, please PM me and I would be happy to discuss the story further.**


	47. Chapter 47

A sterile room with an operating table in the center. A buzzing interrupts the work, but the doctor keeps going after realizing the source of the sound. A nurse walks over and picks up the small handset. "Hello?" She listens for a moment, "He's right here, would you like me to take a message?" Another moment passes. "Doctor, it's for you." She says walking towards him with the phone in her hands.

He silently gestures to his head as the nurse puts it in place as he continues his work. "Hello?" He asks through his mask.

"Minato!" Came the shout through the phone. "You said you'd be home hours ago!"

"Kasai," The now full grown man pleaded pulling his hands away from the patient. "I told you I'd be home when I finished the surgery."

"That was four hours ago!" The girl shouted back. "My sister is coming for dinner and she's bringing the kids with her."

"Really?" Minato asked smiling happily. "What about Kakashi?"

"Of course he's coming." Kasai chuckled. "You don't think I'd force you to deal with the two of us without back up."

Minato chuckled again. "Thanks, don't worry, I'm nearly done here. Once this is finished up I'll head home, I promise."

"You better." Kasai said back, "Love you."

"Love you too." Minato said nodding to the nurse. "Alright, we're nearly done here."

XXXX

Minato wiped his forehead coming out of the operating room. He tossed the surgical cap into the bin and shook his blond hair free. "Finally done for the day Dr. Uzumaki?" A young doctor asked.

"Yep." Minato said getting opening the door to the locker room where he quickly changed into his usual street clothes.

He walked past the nurse's station. "Hey if any of you see Dr. Hyuuga please tell him that I've left for the day and that my patient is recovering in bed six."

"Of course doctor." One of the younger nurses said smiling at the blond.

Minato smiled as he walked out of the hospital and started to walk back home. Since the final battle with Kaguya a lot had changed in the Leaf. In a time of great peace, great minds were able to focus on technological advancements rather than advancing warfare.

He waited for a moment as all the cars drove past him. Once they stopped he started his walk back towards his house. He smiled as he saw the progress that was accomplished because of an idea he had and fought for. After seeing the chaos of war once in his life he never again picked up the headband, even with his leg back at 100% he didn't feel the drive to fight anymore.

Sarada on the other hand became a champion of peace all throughout the ninja world. Her single eye became a symbol for everyone of a better world being possible. And while it hadn't happened yet she was able to assure them that it was only a matter of time.

Kakashi, more or less did the same thing as Minato. After the final fight of Team Kakashi, he hung up his headband and worked to the same end as Sarada, but instead of a warrior he became a politician. Aunt Rin used to joke about how he would sound just like his father when he started to debate with people.

Minato smiled thinking about some of his closest friends. There was still one however he hadn't seen in years. Itachi left the village shortly after the battle and no one had heard from him since. Apparently he and Uncle Sasuke had one last conversation as Itachi left, but Sasuke refused to tell anyone what they talked about.

"I'm home." Minato said pushing the door open.

"It's about time." Kasai said walking around the corner and holding her expecting stomach. "They should be here any minute, help me make sure the kids can't get into anything too dangerous."

Minato laughed following his now wife into the kitchen. She started to check that the knives were secure in the holder while Minato sorted the chemicals under the sink so that the kids wouldn't be able to get to the ones that opened normally. "I know why we used to do this when they were super little, but now they're talking and walking on their own."

"And that worries me even more." Kasai said with a smile on her face. "What kind of an Aunt would I be if I just left something out that they could hurt themselves with?"

"I can't imagine what you'll be like with ours." Minato teased before he felt his ear grabbed.

"What was that?" Kasai asked holding the man.

"Nothing sweetheart." He said laughing at her. She never did anything that would really hurt him, and with his numerous abilities actually hurting him was a challenge, even for her.

There was a knock on the door before it burst open and two little kids ran through the door. "Uncle Minato!" They both shouted tackling the blond to the ground.

"And Aunt Kasai!" The woman said holding her arms out and looking at the kids' uninterested glances.

"You aren't as fun as Uncle Minato." The boy said sticking his tongue out.

"Yeah." The girl nodded her head in agreement. "Whenever we try to play ninja with you it's really easy to find you."

Kasai crossed her arms and started to grumble. "Aww is someone not getting enough attention?" Kuroto asked standing beside a smiling Kakashi.

"He barely tries and they love him to death." Kasai said gritting her teeth. "I bet even my own brat is going to like him better."

"Of course it will." Kuroto said hugging her sister. "We carry them for nine months, and when they pop out they look like their fathers and even prefer him to you."

"That doesn't seem fair." Kasai grumbled.

"Works for me." Kakashi said shrugging his shoulders before extending his hand out to help Minato off the ground. "Come on." He said as he pulled him back up to his feet.

"It's been a while Mr. Secretary." Minato teased as he stood back up to his feet.

"Please don't call me that." Kakashi said slumping his shoulders. "I only took the job because everyone wanted me to."

"A politician everyone loves, and he still finds a reason to complain." Kuroto said rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Can you believe this?"

"You're telling me." Kasai said as her and her sister walked to the table. "There's nights when he's so absorbed in his work, he forgets what time it is and isn't in bed until after 3. Then he's up at 6 for work complaining how he never gets enough sleep."

"Oh that's just men." Kuroto told her sister. "If they find something to work on that they're passionate about that's all they focus on."

"Why do I feel like I have a lot more of this in my future?" Minato asked his former sensei.

"Cause you do." Kakashi said patting him on the back. "Now come and help me get the food in the house."

"Aye sensei." Minato said following after the Uchiha.

Kakashi turned around to look at the kids. "Bai, Mirai, come help."

"Ok." Mirai said following the two out of the house.

"I bet I can carry more!" Bai shouted running out the door.

XXXX

After the dinner Minato and Kakashi were sitting in the living room, they each had one of the young Uchiha's sleeping on them. "How much longer?" Kakashi asked smirking at his cousin.

"Mom says she has less than a month." Minato said smiling proudly.

"You figured out a name?" Kakashi asked pushing a strand of hair from his daughters face.

"Yeah I do." Minato said smiling.

"You guys know the sex?" Kakashi asked perking up shocked. "Would've sworn Kasai would've told Kuroto."

Minato shook his head. "We both decided to keep it a surprise for everyone."

"At first I was terrified." Kakashi said smiling at his children. "I thought how I'd rather face Kaguya alone than do this, but now I understand what my dad meant when he said I was the greatest thing he ever did."

Minato had a bittersweet smile. The only person that ever really talked about that day with him was Kakashi. And it was mostly because there was a bond between them from having both lost their dads the same day. Even though for Kakashi it wasn't like he was ever there. He got to interact with his father for a few precious hours.

Minato shook the thoughts from his head. "You hear from Sarada at all?"

Kakashi smiled as he thought of his other student. "Last I heard she was in the deep in the Land of Wind fighting against a small resistance group."

"Ah." Minato said resting his eyes. "It's funny to think that she just ran with the idea of a better world."

"Well, just look at her husband." Kakashi said laughing. "That man works me half to death."

"Of course he does. He's the Prime Minister."

"I was honestly hoping he'd be lazy." Kakashi said yawning.

"He more or less outgrew that." Minato said yawning with him. "I am so glad I'm off tomorrow."

"Anything planned?"

Minato gestured over his shoulder. "Gotta finish up on the nursery."

"What theme did you go with?" Kakashi asked narrowing his eyes.

"Kasai liked what you two did, using turtles and cats…"

"You're doing foxes and cats?" Kakashi asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yep." Minato said resting his eyes. "I'm not much of a painter, but I do have a steady hand."

"Can I see?" Kakashi asked pointing to the room.

"Be my guest." Minato said, the two former ninjas expertly removed the children from them without waking either of them.

Kakashi turned on the light and chuckled looking at the mural. It showed a group of cats and foxes play fighting. One of each on either side was larger and had multiple tails and smiled at the smaller ones. "Have you talked to him at all?"

"Who?" Minato asked looking at Kakashi from the corner of his eyes.

"Kurama." Kakashi said pointing at the fox as he walked over to it. "I mean before everything happened I only talked to him like once, and that was just because I pestered Naruto Sensei."

"No I haven't." Minato said shaking his head. "It's not like I don't know where he is. It's kinda hard to miss that much chakra, but I haven't seen a real reason to go and find him."

"Makes sense." Kakashi said taking a step back and looking at the massive cat that made them both shiver. "That was easily one of the most brutal tests I've ever had to endure."

"Facing a Tailed Beast to prove your love." Minato said trying to laugh. "Never thought that would be something I'd have to do."

"She's a tough judge of character." Kakashi said as the two went back into the main part of the apartment. "Hey babe." Kakashi said kissing Kuroto on the cheek. "We better get going, the kids are already passed out in the other room."

"He's right." The Uchiha woman said standing up. "It was great doing this." She said hugging her still sitting sister. "We need to start doing this more often."

"Definetly." Kasai said smiling up at her sister.

"Oh." Kuroto said turning around. "I want to know the moment my niece or nephew is born. It's about time it's my turn to spoil someone."

"No problem." Minato said following the two of them out as he and Kakashi shook hands.

XXXX

Late that night Minato was lying in bed, as he closed his eyes he started to dream. He saw what looked like a destroyed wasteland, looking around closer he could see thousands upon thousands of bodies littered around the area. He started to hyperventilate as he realized he knew these people. Some of them he worked with, others he knew from the stores he frequented. His heart stopped when he saw Kasai's lifeless eyes staring up at the sky. "No!" He screamed as chakra started to surround his body.

He looked up and saw a massive beast staring down at him. It dwarfed even the Ten Tails in full size. This creature could wipe out an entire country with a single swipe of one of its massive legs. "You're going to die!" Minato screamed forcing out all of his chakra as he stared at the beast in front of him.

The last thing he felt before waking up was a warm sensation spreading over his entire body and a wave of power.


	48. Chapter 48

Kakashi slowly walked to his office as his assistant followed behind him. "Mr. Uchiha, don't forget your meeting with Ms. Hozuki about the trade between Leaf central and Mist central."

"How could I forget." Kakashi groaned as he opened his office. He stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder at Hino. "I'm going to need a moment alone."

"Yes sir." The blond boy said looking over the clipboard in his arms before walking away.

Kakashi walked into the room and shut the door behind himself. "If you're here then it can't be good."

A one armed man with black hair turned around as their black eyes met. "I figured you were better than the Prime Minister to talk about this with."

"What is it you need Itachi?" Kakashi asked sitting at his desk not looking at his fellow Uchiha.

"She was scared of something." Itachi said looking at the clear blue sky.

"Who?" Kakashi asked as he started to read a report.

"Kaguya." Itachi said. "At first I thought it was those two that attacked during the tournament, but now I'm not so sure."

"I'm sure you'll figure something out." Kakashi said as he signed one of the documents.

"You don't get it." Itachi said clenching his fist.

"What I do get is that we've all grown up Itachi." He said standing up. "We've moved past those battles and are working to make this a better world rather than focus on the old world."

"The old world isn't dead yet." Itachi replied clenching his teeth.

"You're starting to sound a lot like a rebel." Kakashi said holding his pen tightly. "If I didn't know better I'd guess that you joined them."

"I'm only here to deliver a message." Itachi said turning around.

"Which is?" Kakashi asked, his patience wearing thin.

"War is coming." Itachi said not turning around.

"Is that a threat?" Kakashi asked slowly reaching for the kunai hidden under his desk.

"No." Itachi said standing straight. "Because it won't be the rebels that attack."

"Then who?" Kakashi asked before Itachi slammed a book on his desk.

"I was able to decipher most of this." He said patting the book. "And from what I read, Kaguya was just a messenger that went rogue, the two that came during the tournament were meant to eliminate her and all signs of her. You're a leader, if you send a team to kill someone and they never return what do you think?"

"The target killed them." Kakashi said realizing what Itachi meant.

"Exactly." The younger Uchiha said picking up the book. "And a bigger group is coming next, and I'm not sure what it's going to take to defeat them."

"Thank you." Kakashi said lacing his fingers together. "Do we have any timeline for when they're going to show up?"

"Soon." Itachi said ominously. "And this new world that you're all so proud of won't be strong enough to stand against them."

"And the old is?" Kakashi asked neither man looking at the other.

"No." Itachi said before leaving the room and not being seen by anyone.

XXXX

Minato yawned as he rolled out of bed. "Ow." He said as he hit the floor.

"Dummy." Kasai chided him sleepily.

"Thanks for all the love and care." Minato said standing up and rubbing his head.

"If that could hurt you then I would've broken you many times over." The girl said grinning.

"I feel like the word vixen would apply to you better than a kitten." Minato said with a smirk as he walked towards the bathroom.

"Come back to bed, I'm sleepy." She said with a purr.

"I can't." Minato said looking at his wife. "I need to meet with mom about something."

"Momma's boy." The Uzumaki woman said slowly sitting up.

"You bet." Minato said as he shut the bathroom door and started his shower.

XXXX

"Hey mom." Minato said pushing the door to his old home open.

"In here." Sakura said happily putting her book down. Minato walked into the room smiling as she rubbed the back of his head. "Where is my gorgeous daughter in law?" Sakura asked the man.

Right as Minato was about to speak he felt his blood chill. "This feeling." He said putting his hand on his chest.

"Minato?" Sakura asked standing up to check him. "What are you feeling?"

"Chakra." Minato said slowly turning around and walking outside.

"What?" Sakura asked following him, but they both stopped when they saw someone floating in the sky.

His voice could be heard all over the city. "We have come for the one known as Naruto Uzumaki!" It said calmly, yet the voice still carried all over the city.

"Dad?" Minato asked in shock.

"What is that?" Sakura asked shading her eyes from the sun.

"I don't know." Minato said as he started running.

"Where are you going?" Sakura asked.

"I want to know why he wants dad!" Minato shouted as he started jumping from building to building.

XXXX

Minato stood on top of a skyscraper looking up at the pale skinned man. "He looks like Kaguya." The Uzumaki said to himself. "Who are you?"

The alien man looked down at Minato and smiled. "Ah, finally, Naruto Uzumaki is here."

"What?" Minato asked before his eyes widened and he was hit by a massive chakra blast destroying the top of the building.

On the ground Minato pushed the rubble off himself, his strength of a hundred seal activated as he breathed heavily. "What the hell was that?"

"If that is all the resistance your hero has, we shall make quick work of this planet." The man said again, his voice echoing throughout the city. Panic began as they witnessed the power of this mystery man.

"Get up." Came a stern voice beside Minato.

"Who?" Minato asked looking up at the voice. "Uncle Sasuke."

"No." Itachi said gritting his teeth. "You got any fight left in you, surgeon?"

Minato stood to his feet. "Enough to keep up with you, rebel."

Itachi smirked as the two looked up at the threat. "We can't hold back, his chakra is similar to the people who attacked during the tournament."

"Fine." Minato said as red chakra spread over his body. "After this we're going to talk."

"One thing at a time." Itachi said as the two started to run back up the building.

The man turned and looked as he sensed the chakra coming. "And this must be the legendary Sasuke Uchiha."

"No!" Itachi screamed leaping at the man.

"Foolish boy." The man said catching Itachi by the throat. "Only Naruto Uzumaki is strong enough to stand against us."

"How about me?" Minato asked leaping up after Itachi slamming his fist into the man's stomach releasing the Uchiha from his grasp.

"Gah." The Otsutsuki gasped as blood came from his mouth. "Uzumaki!" He screamed as his chakra started to lash out violently.

"We need to get him out of the city!" Minato shouted landing on the partially destroyed building.

"How do we do that?" Itachi asked.

"Leave that to me." Kakashi said appearing between the two wearing his business suit.

"You sure you can keep up, Mr. Senator?" Itachi asked with sarcasm etching his voice.

"Watch it." Kakashi said as he looked up at the man in front of him.

"Who are you?" Kakashi asked his curiosity getting the better of him.

"My name is Alashiki!" The man said crossing his arms as he tried to control his burning rage.

"And what do you want?" Kakashi asked.

"Something was once stolen from my people, and we want it back." Alashiki said with a wicked smile.

"And that is?"

"Chakra." Alashiki said before laughing. "We will take it all from you, and the three of you have more than most."

"Sorry." Kakashi said taking off his tie. "We already disposed of the person who stole from you, now you can either leave or we'll have to handle this ourselves."

Alashiki grinned but gasped as in the blink of an eye Kakashi was behind him grabbing the Otsutsuki by the throat. "This is our home!" Kakashi screamed before the two of them disappeared.

"Where is he?" Itachi asked glancing over to Minato.

"There." Minato said pointing out of the city.

"I'm going to need help." Kakashi said appearing between the two and putting his hands on their shoulders teleporting the three of them to where Alashiki was.

"You are the defenders of this pathetic planet?" Alashiki asked the three. "I was hoping I could at least face Naruto Uzumaki on my own."

Minato grit his teeth as he started to walk forward. "I'm not my father, I'm me!" He screamed leaping forward as three tails sprouted behind him. "I'm Minato Uzumaki, son of the Seventh Hokage. And I won't let you ruin our peace!" He slammed his fist into the man hurling him the other direction.

Kakashi saw his chance and teleported behind Alashiki kicking the man the other direction. "Itachi!" He shouted.

"Right." The one armed man said performing single handed seals. "Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!" He screamed as a massive inferno escaped his lips consuming the Otsutsuki.

"That won't work." Minato said walking beside Itachi. "He's like Kaguya, we can't hurt him unless we use sage chakra or taijutsu."

"Fine." Itachi said cutting off the jutsu.

"Eight Trigrams: 64 Palms!" Came a screamed as a blur slammed into Alashiki and continued to strike him.

"Was wondering when she'd reveal herself." Minato said with a smile.

"Sarada." Itachi said realizing it was his sister that struck the Otsutsuki.

"We don't have time, now attack!" The older woman with a headband covering one of her eyes screamed.

"Right!" Itachi shouted jumping towards the man pulling his sword free. Itachi slashed two strikes on Alashiki before jumping away.

"Midnight Tiger!" Kakashi screamed charging forward with chakra surrounding his body.

Alashiki screamed in pain as his body was struck hundreds of times by Kakashi's punches and kicks.

"Minato now!" Kakashi screamed teleporting away from the attack.

"Aye!" Minato screamed as a Rasengan spread around his entire body. "Sage Art: Rasenbarrier!" He screamed leaping towards Alashiki.

"I won't die!" The man screamed catching the massive orb of spinning chakra, as he locked eyes with Minato. "Uzumaki!" He screamed as he tried to absorb the spinning chakra.

"Ahhh!" Minato screamed as the red chakra on his body began to thicken as he pushed more of it into the Rasengan ripping the flesh from Alashiki's hands. "Now die!" Minato screamed as he massively expanded the Rasengan forcing his opponent to become stuck inside.

"What is this power?" Alashiki asked in shock and fear.

"Mine." Minato said as he floated in front of Alashiki as he began to turn to ash.

Alashiki smiled for a brief moment. "You may defeat me, but you'll never stop the army that's coming."

The massive Rasengan died down and Minato landed back on the ground and started to wobble in place. "I may have gone overboard." He said looking back at his old team before he saw the sky spin and then nothing.

 **AN: And there's the reveal for the true final threat. I will be keeping the next part in this story, mainly because it will not be long enough for me to stretch it into its own story. Also I have officially submitted my original (not fanfic) work to a publisher and now I'm waiting to hear back.**


	49. Chapter 49

Kakashi, Itachi, and Sarada all stood in front of the Prime Minster. "So we're going to be attacked again?" He asked looking at the three Uchiha.

"It would seem that way." Kakashi said nodding his head. "If it weren't for the fact that Minato still possessed Sage Jutsu we may not have won."

"That is lucky." The Prime Minster said calmly. "Sarada, what brought you back home?"

"A report was left with my men." Sarada said nodding her head. "We have no idea where the intel came from, but now that I'm here I have a hunch." She said glancing over at her brother.

"I may not be a part of this government," Itachi said putting his hand in his pocket. "That doesn't mean I want to see innocent people die."

The Prime Minster glanced at the Uchiha man. "Itachi." He said respectfully.

"Father." Itachi said narrowing his eyes at Sasuke Uchiha.

"I understand your hesitance to aid us, but I must thank you for giving us some kind of warning before the attack." Sasuke said standing to his feet and checking his cufflinks. "If you do not wish to aid us any further, I would completely understand."

"Bullshit." Itachi said taking a step closer to Sasuke. "We all know that the three of us are three of the four strongest people on the continent, and the other one is resting in a hospital after being out of the game for years. I can't stand the idea of those pricks thinking they're entitled to our power."

"Fine." Sasuke said crossing his arms. "I'll have you assigned to Sarada's unit…"

"No." Itachi interrupted. "The only person I can trust to watch my back is Minato."

Sasuke sat back in his chair and looked at his son. "Last I checked, the two of you hated one another, not to mention that Minato is a civilian."

"Do you really think that would keep an Uzumaki from the fight?" Itachi asked calmly. "Would it stop Naruto?"

XXXX

Minato groggily opened his eyes and looked around the room. He quickly noticed that it was empty so he widened his senses and felt the building bursting with life and energy. "Why does one of us always end up here?" He asked himself as he rubbed his eyes.

"Come in." He said just before he heard a knock.

"You know it freaks me out when you do that." Kasai said opening the door and walking to the chair in the room.

"How are the two of you?" Minato asked starting to sit up.

"We're fine." She said rubbing her stomach before her eyes hardened on Minato. "Are you crazy?"

"For marrying you? Yes." Minato said before laughing and being lightly hit by Kasai.

"I'm being serious." She said as their eyes met. "You aren't allowed to die."

"Not allowed?" Minato asked with a chuckle.

"Nope." Kasai said shaking her head. "If you tried I would just fight my way into the afterlife and drag your lazy ass back."

"I love you." Minato said smiling at his wife who was still crossing her arms.

"I love you too." She said sticking her nose in the air, when the door opened again.

"Am I interrupting something?" Sakura asked the couple.

"No." Kasai said as a smile crossed her face. "We were just going over where we stood with one another."

"Ah." Sakura said happily as she put a set of X-rays on the viewer. "As you can see, when we first brought you in, you nearly destroyed every chakra point in your body."

"And now?" Minato asked noticing the specific language she used.

"You've fully healed." Sakura said with a smile. "The combination of your seal and Kurama's chakra, brought you back to 100%."

"Does that mean I'm free to go?" Minato asked, his spirits being lifted.

"Yep." Sakura said nodding her head. "I'll give you two a minute." Sakura said taking the X-rays. She stopped for a moment and looked at Kasai before letting out a tiny squeal.

"She really can't wait to be a grandma." Kasai said smiling at her mother in law.

"No she can't." Minato said standing up and kissing his wife on the forehead. "Go on and wait for me outside. I'll be dressed in a minute."

"Ok." Kasai said as Minato helped her stand back up and she walked out of the room.

Minato's smile disappeared instantly. "I didn't expect to ever see you again."

"Can anyone sneak up on you?" Itachi asked.

"Kakashi has done it once or twice using his Mangekyo." Minato said shrugging his shoulders as he turned around.

"Makes sense." Itachi said leaning against the far wall.

"I take it this isn't a normal visit." Minato said grabbing the clothes that Kasai had brought him.

"Sorry." Itachi said shaking his head.

"Do you want something from me?" Minato asked putting on his shirt.

"We both know that you're our best shot at fighting them." Itachi said with hesitance. "I hate to admit it, but we need you."

"We?" Minato asked sliding on his pants.

"Yes we." Itachi said nodding his head. "You, Sarada, Kakashi, my father, and me are the strongest people on the continent."

"I know a ton of people who would argue with that." Minato chuckled putting on his shoes.

"And they'd be wrong." Itachi said focusing on the Uzumaki symbol on Minato's back. "We both nearly killed each other back then, and I had the Rinnegan. I walked away with a scar, you got out of it good as new. You can't tell me you aren't powerful."

"We were kids." Minato said standing up again. "That life is behind me."

"Fine." Itachi said waving the blond off. "So Kasai's pregnant?"

Before he could realize it Minato already had Itachi pressed up against the wall. "If I see you anywhere near them, not even I will be able to put you back together when I'm done with you."

Itachi smiled as he saw the fire back in the man's now red slitted eyes. "You've still got the fighting spirit inside of you." Itachi said grabbing Minato's arm. "I won't lay a finger on your family, but they will. Our fathers killed Momoshiki, they sealed away Kaguya, and you just killed Alashiki. Do you really think they'll let your offspring live?"

Minato tightened his grip on Itachi as the two former best friends stared daggers at one another, before Minato applied one final push and let Itachi slide back to the ground. "You're right." He said turning around. "But this doesn't change anything between us, once this is all over you can just disappear again."

"Fine." Itachi said walking towards the window as he balled up his fist and bit his lip.

XXXX

 _Minato stared blankly at his father's stone grave. Obito's had recently been resealed even though neither Hokage had a body to leave behind. He balled his fists up as he fought the tears when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw Sarada's kind eye looking back at him._

 _He hugged her immediately and started to cry on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry." He said between sobs._

 _"Sorry?" She asked pushing him a bit away from her and looking at him. "What do you have to be sorry for?"_

 _"If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have gotten hurt." He said getting a better handle on his emotions._

 _Sarada balled her fist and was about to punch Minato when she saw the look of sheer brokenness he was feeling. "I made my decision to follow you two, and I decided to fight. You can't blame yourself for any of it."_

 _"If I had just let him go, maybe he wouldn't have left." Minato said falling to his knees and putting his palms on the stone. "He didn't know what was going to happen, but I tried to kill him anyway."_

 _"Itachi would've left the village either way." Sarada said white knuckling her fist. "You chased him down as he was running away from his mistakes."_

 _"I miss him." Minato said as he watched his tears fall on the stone._

 _"So do I." Sarada said looking into the distance. "So do I."_

 _XXXX_

"Damn it." Minato said to himself after Itachi jumped out of the window.

XXXX

Kakashi pushed his front door open and walked in slowly. "I'm home!" He shouted to the house.

After a moment Kuroto came around the corner and immediately stepped directly in front of him. "I saw the news."

"I don't want to discuss this now." Kakashi said waving her off.

"Tough, because I do." Kuroto said crossing her arms. "After the kids were born you said you were done being a ninja."

"I didn't think about any of that." Kakashi said strongly. "Someone was attacking my home, and my body moved without even thinking."

"Idiot." Kuroto said turning away from him. "Let me guess, you're going with them, aren't you."

"I have to." Kakashi said nodding his head.

"Damn it." Kuroto said gritting her teeth. "The day you retired the headband was one of the happiest days of my life."

"You gave it up too." Kakashi said putting his hands in his pockets.

"Couldn't be a Leaf ninja." She said shrugging her shoulders. "It was the day I knew that we would get to grow old together."

Kakashi pulled her into a hug. "We will."

"You better come back to us." Kuroto said nuzzling into his chest.

"I always do." Kakashi said smiling and rubbing her back.


	50. Chapter 50

Minato was standing beside his former teammates. He pulled on the clothes he was wearing that looked like a newer version of the typical Jonin attire that was worn during his father's time.

"As of right now all of you are Jonin." Sasuke said looking at the group. "And as far as I'm concerned the only ones in the world."

"What?" Minato asked confused.

"When the villages were dismantled, and formed into one large country the ninja ranks went with them." Sarada said. "Our modern military operates differently."

"Oh." Minato said letting the fabric snap back onto his body. "How are we even going to fight these people?"

Sasuke nodded to Itachi before he spoke up. "They travel the same way Kakashi, Lord Naruto, and Lord Obito did."

"Time space jutsu?" Sarada asked understanding the connection.

"Exactly." Itachi said nodding his head. "The theory is that if Kakashi and dad combine their powers we will be able to reach this destination they've been using."

"That would take an enormous amount of chakra." Minato said in deep thought.

"We already have a plan for that." Sasuke said before nodding to Kakashi.

The older Uchiha put his hand on Minato's shoulder and the two disappeared before reappearing in the middle of a forest.

"Warn me before doing that you bastard!" Minato shouted as he wobble in place. "I don't know how you don't get sick from that."

"You should really be quiet here." Kakashi said crossing his arms.

"We're in the middle of the damn…" He stopped talking when he felt the enormous chakra nearby. "Is that?"

"Very observant Kit." Came a booming voice from the shadows. "It's been a long time." Kurama said revealing his presence to the group.

"Holy shit!" Minato shouted back peddling from the massive fox. "Why are you sneaking up on me damn fox?"

Kurama sighed but still smiled. "You're just like your father." Minato smiled at the compliment. "You're both idiots."

"What?" Minato shouted before Kakashi put his arm between the massive fox and the Uzumaki.

"We don't have time for the two of you to bicker." Kakashi said to the blond. "Are you willing to help us?"

"I am." Kurama said nodding his head. "Seeing the world as I have I don't want to see it destroyed." The massive fox looked to Minato raising his fist to him.

"What?" Minato asked confused.

"Trust me." Kakashi said pushing the Uzumaki.

"Ok." Minato said nodding his head as he put his fist on Kurama's.

Suddenly Minato felt like his entire body was a full charged battery. Every moment before that was like he was only half charged but now he had a full charge and felt like he could do anything. "What is that?" He asked in shock.

"I have given you a fraction of my power." Kurama said pulling his fist back. "It isn't enough to consider you a jinchuuriki, but if you were only a quarter jinchuuriki before you are now half way there."

"Whoa." Minato said looking at his hands. "This power is unreal."

"Use it wisely." Kurama said his voice getting quieter. "Make your father proud."

"I will." Minato said smiling at the fox. "That's a promise."

"Thank you." Kakashi said with a quick bow before the two disappeared once again.

"It's nearly time." Kurama said in his mind as he looked around at all the other Tailed Beasts.

"Are you sure they can do it?" Gyuki asked his brother. "This was what Kaguya was preparing an army for."

"And they destroyed that army." Matatabi pointed out. "We have to believe in them, or else everything in this world will cease to exist."

"Don't underestimate em!" Shukaku shouted. "If anyone can pull it off it's them."

"Kurama." Son asked looking towards the fox. "Why not go yourself?"

The fox grinned as he chuckled. "I'm shocked you all haven't figured it out yet?"

"You think the same?" Saiken asked.

"I've suspected it for years." Kurama said with a grin. "But I wasn't sure until that moment where our chakra touched, it's the same."

"So he truly is our best chance." Kokuo interjected.

"He's the only one we need." Kurama finished.

XXXX

Minato stood alongside his team once again. "Stop doing that!" He yelled at Kakashi. "You're going to make me sick!"

"Dobe." Sasuke said with a smile on his face.

"What?" Minato asked missing what Sasuke had said.

"It's nothing." Sasuke said waving him off. "I take it everything went as planned."

"Yes." Kakashi said with a nod. "Kurama has given Minato his blessing."

"Then we're ready to begin." Sasuke said as he walked around his desk. "Good luck." He said to the team.

Sarada smirked. "We'll be back by dinner."

"Bringing the fight to them, sounds just like us." Itachi said popping his neck.

"Just like old times." Minato said punching his palm.

"You guys ready for one last dance?" Kakashi asked the trio.

"Aye." Sarada said grinning.

XXXX

The team appeared inside of a void. Minato took his hand off Kakashi as the seals returned to the Uzumaki. "So this is where they call home?" He asked looking around.

"No!" Came a booming voice. "This is merely the world in between our homes!" It said appearing in a form of pure chakra.

"What is that?" Itachi asked reaching for a kunai.

"I can't tell." Sarada said with her Byakugan active.

"You didn't." Minato said in shock. "That's monstrous!" He screamed at the being in front of them.

"What?" Itachi asked.

"They really did it." Minato said his fists trembling. "You sacrificed them all!" He screamed as his eyes started to turn red.

"What are you talking about?" Kakashi asked readying himself for a fight.

"That thing absorbed all of them, every single one!" He screamed as blood trickled from his hand. "I'm going to kill you!" Minato screamed leaping forward at the chakra creature.

"Enough." It said waving its hand.

In an instant Kakashi looked around and saw that his team was gone. "You pathetic humans shall die as you were born, alone."

Kakashi grit his teeth and jumped away from a chakra arm that slashed at him. "Submit." The creature said swinging its arms in wild attacks.

"Never been my thing." Kakashi said jumping forward and punching at the creature who caught the fist. "Just who the hell are you?"

"You can call me Chakra." It said, it's face being blank and showing no features. "Now give me back what belongs to me." It said as it thrust its fist into Kakashi's chest. "Once we finish with you, you won't have to fight any longer."

Kakashi tried to struggle but found his body growing weaker. His Sharingan reverted back to his normal black eyes as his body started to go limp.

XXXX

Itachi looked around realizing that his team had disappeared right after Minato leapt at their enemy. "Where the hell are they?" He screamed at the chakra creature.

"Soon they shall share your fate." It said standing on the ground. "You are the son of Indra?"

"I don't care about any of that." He said shaking his head. "Who my father is doesn't matter to who I am." He slammed his fist on his chest. "My name is Itachi Uchiha, and I'm going to save everyone!"

He jumped into the air holding a single hand seal before opening his mouth. "Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!" He screamed as an inferno escaped his lips hurling itself at Chakra who side stepped the blaze.

"Your race is weak." It said charging forward and grabbing him by the throat. "Your bodies are simple, and cannot support the amount of chakra I now possess."

"I don't have to." Itachi said as Chakra shoved its hand into the Uchiha's chest. "My best friend is more than enough to deal with you!" He said as his eyes shifted to a ringed state while he glared at the being in front of him.

XXXX

Sarada looked around the area realizing she was alone with the enemy. She looked up at the creature as it started to lower to what must've been the ground. "Where did you take them?" She asked looking at the creature with her Byakugan and seeing that it had no chakra points.

"It does not matter." It said shaking its head. "Soon you shall join everyone and join us." It said putting its hand on its chest.

"Sorry." Sarada said grabbing a kunai. "I prefer to stay myself."

"Irrelevant." Chakra replied lunging at the woman who backstepped the attack slicing her kunai through its face.

"What?" She asked when she saw Chakra's body reform once again.

"We are energy." It said holding its hands out. "Your pitiful bodies cannot destroy us."

"So it's impossible?" She asked narrowing her eye.

"Yes." Chakra said nodding its head.

"Good." Sarada said spinning the kunai in her hand, otherwise it wouldn't be fair to you.

"Explain yourself." Chakra replied standing straight up.

"I know who I am." She said holding her battle stance. "Next to most people I'm powerful and strong, but next to the three of them I'm the weak one, but that doesn't mean I don't have my place alongside them."

"None of you will ever equal our combined power." It said holding its hand out to her.

"You're right." She said as she started to smirk. "And that's why we have each other." She jumped forward once again but was caught by Chakra.

"We are merely taking what is ours!" It shouted thrusting its other hand into her chest.

XXXX

Minato's fist slammed into Chakra hurling him through the empty space. He landed on the ground and could tell that his teammates were gone. "Fine." He said throwing his hand back. "Guess I have to face you alone!" He shouted as a Rasengan formed in his hand.

"Your confidence is admirable." Chakra said landing on the ground standing up. "Come Naruto Uzumaki!"

"That's not my name!" He screamed charging forward and swinging his attack forward but Chakra deflected it into the ground before spinning its foot into his face.

Minato slid across the ground before standing up and wiping the blood from his face. He jumped back forward and dodged a punch before swinging one himself that Chakra blocked with its forearm.

"Foolish human!" It shouted punching him in the face. "Your pathetic race shall die, none of you will survive us retaking what is ours."

"You won't do that!" He screamed slamming his fist into Chakra. "Even if it means I die, I won't stop until I can't fight any longer!"

"Fine!" Chakra shouted grabbing Minato by the throat. "Then die like everyone else!" It shoved its fist into his chest. "Return to us what is ours."

XXXX

Kakashi felt the chakra being ripped from his body as he struggled to breathe. "No." He said his eyes burning with hate as he started to black out.

He remembered the people in his life, most of them he got to see die. He was the only member of his Genin team still alive, even his sensei the man once believed to be untouchable died against a god. His best friend died saving his life, the love of his life was brutally killed right before his eyes.

Before he could even remember his father died for someone else. "I guess that's just my path." He said accepting death. "Just like all of them, I wasn't supposed to make it all the way to the end."

He turned around and saw all of them standing in front of him. Bai was giving him a massive thumbs up, Mirai was blushing seeing him, Naruto was giving his massive smile with an arm wrapped around Obito with a smile matching Naruto's. He smiled as he started to walk towards them, finally able to give in.

XXXX

Itachi matched stares with the creature as he fought to maintain his Rinnegan. "You may stop me, but you'll never break him."

"Who?" Chakra asked sucking all of the chakra out of Itachi.

"The one man that not even I could defeat." He said through gritted teeth. "He's better than I am, he's better than anyone else, and I don't deserve to call him friend." He said before his body started to feel heavy.

"None of that matters to us." Chakra said his voice echoing in the void. "You, him, no one can defeat what we are."

"You're wrong." Itachi said as his body went limp.

He looked around the empty void and saw that no one was there waiting for him. "I guess this is what I deserve." He said looking around the emptiness. "I failed you." He said balling his fist and a single tear escaped his eyes.

XXXX

Sarada felt everything being pulled from her, her Byakusharingan fading as she ran out of power. "You can't." She said pawing at the chakra hand sealed into her body.

"Stop your futile resistance." Chakra said looking at her defeated form. "You will only prolong the inevitable. All humans die eventually, we are merely putting an end to death."

Sarada felt her body go limp before she saw herself standing inside of a void. Looking around she saw the people she fought alongside that didn't make it through the mission. "All of you?" She asked looking at them.

"I'm sorry." She said as tears started to fall from her eyes. "You all died so that I could keep living, and here I am dying for nothing."

XXXX

Minato glared at the chakra creature in front of him. "I…" He said as he felt all the power he had fade away into nothing. "I can't." He said looking down as his blond hair fell over his eyes. "I can't fight this." He chuckled for a moment. "Guess I'm more like my father than I thought."

He looked up and saw that he was now in a void again, this time Chakra was nowhere to be seen. He turned around and saw his father smiling at him, wearing his casual clothes.

"C'mon Minato." Naruto said with a laugh, "You've fought enough, I'm proud of you."

Minato was about to take a step forward when he froze. "Uncle Obito died for you." He said looking up at Naruto. "You died for everyone to live." He grabbed his head, "Grandma and Grandpa died for you, Bai died for Kakashi Sensei, everyone dies for someone!" He screamed at Naruto.

"I'm going to live for my family!" He screamed as he started to explode with chakra. "I won't die a martyr, I'm going to live on and watch my son grow up. My son won't grow up without a father!" He screamed as chakra surrounded his body.

"I refuse to die!" He screamed as Naruto smiled at him and nodded before the black void shattered away.

XXXX

"I refuse to die!" Kakashi heard as he was about to take his father's hand.

"Go." Obito said with a smile. "It's your time now."

"Right." Kakashi said turning around and looking over his shoulder one final time. "Thank you, all of you." The reality around him shattered.

XXXX

"I refuse to die!" Itachi heard as he was about to accept his fate. He turned around looking for a source of the sound but found nothing.

"He's right!" Itachi screamed. "We can't just die!" He screamed

XXXX

Sarada was about to join her soldiers when a scream pierced her world. "I refuse to die!"

"Minato?" Sarada said looking around before she saw all of her soldiers saluting her. "He's right." She said with a nod. "I can't come with you just yet."

XXXX

Minato screamed as everything around him continued to shake.

"Genjutsu!" Itachi shouted realizing what had been happening.

"We don't have time." Sarada said putting her hand on Minato's shoulder.

"She's right." Kakashi said putting his hand on Minato's back.

"Aye." Itachi said putting his hand on Minato's other shoulder.

"If you truly intend to face us like this," Chakra said as it began to grow in size. "Then we shall test your limit!"

"We don't have one!" Minato screamed as golden chakra surrounded his body and black orbs formed behind him.

"Is this?" Sarada asked in shock.

"Six Paths!" Kakashi shouted. "This is our chance!"


	51. Chapter 51

"If you truly wish to face us in combat then your only fate is death." Chakra said looking at the group.

"We've gotten this far." Minato said gritting his teeth. "There's no way in hell we're dying here."

"And why is that?" Chakra asked.

"In this world we've fought for, children won't have to grow up without a father!" Minato said as he pushed out more chakra and the group were raised into the air by the chakra mass. "Kakashi!" Minato shouted.

"Right!" The Uchiha said as his Susanoo gave the chakra shape.

XXXX

Kurama looked at his siblings, "It is time." He said with a nod as they all funneled their chakra into Kurama.

XXXX

Rin leaned against the wall beside her as her legs went weak for a moment. "Are you ok?" Kurenai asked the Uchiha woman.

"I'm fine." Rin said putting her hand on her stomach. "It's just that Isobu is doing something."

"What?" The red eyed woman asked.

"I can't tell."

XXXX

All across the continent the remaining Jinchuuriki felt their powers weaken as the Biju all funneled their power into one location.

"This is our power!" Itachi screamed as his eyes shifted to their Rinnegan state. "He inserted a small rod into each of his teammates. "Trust me." He said calmly as all of a sudden, they all shared vision. "Sarada!"

"Right!" She shouted seeing his plan as she activated her Byakusharingan, the entire team was able to see completely around themselves at the same time.

"Your attempts at resistance are pathetic." Chakra said standing in front of the massive Susanoo.

"Kakashi!" Minato shouted.

"On it!" Kakashi screamed as he pulled chakra from Minato. The Susanoo grew to astronomical proportions as underneath the chakra armor the glowing chakra of Minato revealed itself. And on the head of the Susanoo a face appeared where Team Kakashi was standing.

"Where's all your brave talk?" Sarada asked glaring at Chakra.

"This is no matter." Chakra said as it too grew to the same size as the massive Susanoo.

"I have an idea." Kakashi said with a smirk.

"We're going to teleport again aren't we?" Minato asked mentally preparing himself for the nausea.

"Hang on!" Kakashi screamed as the massive Susanoo slammed into Chakra grabbing hold of it and then they disappeared.

XXXX

Kasai and Kuroto froze looking up at the sky. They saw a humanoid energy construct standing against a Susanoo that towered the planet itself.

XXXX

"We can't hold this form long!" Kakashi shouted. "Not here at least."

"We won't need to." Minato said as the massive Susanoo barreled forward punching Chakra deeper into space.

"Keep him away from the planet!" Itachi shouted as they continued to fly closer towards the being.

"All you've done is doomed your race faster!" Chakra shouted regaining composure.

"No!" Kakashi screamed as the Susanoo punched Chakra. "We are going to show everyone that nothing can stop humanity!"

The Susanoo ducked under an attack from behind that slammed into Chakra. "We can see everything!" Sarada shouted at Chakra.

Minato started to sweat on his forehead. "We need to hurry this up!"

"Alright." Kakashi said nodding his head. "We need to do this in one massive strike!"

"I have an idea." Itachi said smiling.

The Susanoo held its hands out in opposite directions, one of them formed a Rasengan the size of a planet, and the other was coated in lightning that filled the void of space. "We carry with us the strength of all those that came before us!" Minato screamed. "They died to get us here, we won't let that be for nothing!"

"We're a family!" The all screamed charging towards Chakra and slamming the massive attack inside of it.

Kakashi saw that the Susanoo and chakra cloak was failing as the outrageous attacks struck Chakra. He closed his eyes before revealing his Eternal Mangekyo that had his father's swirls and his blades. The space around them began to shift and morph as they along with Chakra were pulled back to the Kamui realm.

XXXX

Minato stood to his feet breathing heavily as his chakra cloak faded away. He reached for the chakra rod and pulled it out with a groan. "Did we win?" He asked looking around.

"No." Sarada said slowly supporting herself with her arm. "He's still there."

"Very observant." Chakra said as the dust around them cleared. "Even with the strongest attack in your world's history, you are still not enough."

"What do we do now?" Itachi asked feeling more tired than he'd ever been in his life.

"The same thing we did as last time." Minato said holding out his hand as a Rasengan formed.

Kakashi looked around and realized that they were all surrounding Chakra and he held his hand out as a water Rasengan formed in his palm. "Right." He said breathing heavy.

Itachi smirked as his fire Rasengan formed. "I suppose this makes sense."

Sarada smirked the same way forming her own Rasengan.

"This is the end!" They all screamed slamming their attacks into Chakra.

"It's not enough!" Minato screamed as a hand was placed over his. He looked over his shoulder and saw the resolute face of his father.

"You can do this." Naruto said nodding his head.

"Dad." Minato said as a single tear fell from his eyes as he looked ahead and forced chakra he didn't even know he had into the attack.

Kakashi felt his body failing during the attack when two hands placed over his own. "You can't give up now, you have to pass on your youth!" Bai shouted beside him.

"You better take your time getting to us." Mirai said smiling at her friends.

"Gah!" Kakashi shouted forcing everything he had into the jutsu as it started to rip up his shirt and the skin beneath it.

"I know you have more." Came another voice as a hand went on Kakashi's back. He didn't need to turn around to recognize this person. "You've come this far, not only is your family depending on you, so are the fallen."

"Right," Kakashi said controlling his chakra, "Dad."

"Now show them what we can do!" Obito screamed as Kakashi pushed all of his chakra into the attack.

Itachi started to buckle under the sheer force when someone landed beside him. "You aren't allowed to stop!" Sasuke said sternly.

"I don't need you!" Itachi snapped at the Uchiha man.

"I know." Sasuke said putting his hand on Itachi's. "You needed me before."

Itachi grit his teeth as he stabilized the attack. "I won't die here!" He screamed as he pushed the chakra even farther.

Sarada watched as the people around her were holding up, "I won't be left behind anymore!" She screamed as her attack sharpened.

"This is who we are!" Minato screamed.

"This is the power of everyone behind us!" Kakashi screamed.

"This is the power of those to come!" Itachi screamed.

"And this is the end for you!" Sarada screamed as they all burst through Chakra obliterating his entire being.


	52. Chapter 52

Minato groaned as he sat up, he looked around the blank emptiness of the Kamui realm. "Kakashi, Sarada, Itach!" He shouted for his three teammates.

He heard a bloody cough and looked to where it had come from and saw Itachi laying on the ground covered in blood.

"Itachi!" He screamed as he fought to stand and walk to the Uchiha. "What happened?"

"The attack," He said through pained breaths. "Was too much for me."

"Damn it!" Minato cursed as he noticed Sarada lead an exhausted Kakashi over to them.

Itachi chuckled through the blood in his mouth. "This is fitting."

"What?" Sarada asked looking at her dying brother.

"That I die by your hands." He said before wincing in pain. "I betrayed all of you, this is what I deserve."

Minato grit his teeth as he started to hear the blood thumping in his ears. "I'm sorry." Itachi said seeing the look of pain on his friend's face. "You are someone who deserves to go on living."

"After all you put me through," Minato began, "you'd think I'd despise you, but I should thank you, cause you made me that much stronger!"

Itachi looked at the tears coming from his friend's eyes. "Don't cry for me." He said looking straight up. "I'm scum." He started to cough again. "Guess what your dad used to say makes sense." He added looking to Kakashi. "Those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum. And I did both."

Sarada started to cry as she was realizing this was her brother's final moments. "Itachi." He said looking at him on the ground.

"Don't cry for me, I'm not worth it, please." He begged as tears started to fall from his eyes. "I don't deserve it."

"Shut up!" Sarada shouted at him. "Even with everything you did there was never a moment where any of us truly stopped loving you!"

Itachi looked up shocked at his former team. "What?" He asked as a weight started to lift from his chest.

"Fuck this!" Minato cursed as his hands started to glow. "You don't get to die yet!"

"Minato." Itachi said looking at his friend.

"You heard me you bastard!" Minato said fighting back the tears. "This is going to hurt." He said as he shoved his glowing hand inside of Itachi. "You aren't allowed to die now, not after we've saved the world. All of us are going home. We're breaking the cycle of our families, nobody else has to die, especially not you!"

Itachi groaned as Minato's hands started to repair the internal organs. His entire body tensed up as Minato's fingers wrapped around his lung. "There it is." He said finding the wound.

"Stop it." Itachi said through gritted teeth. "I'm not worth it."

"Say that again and after I'm done I'll kick your ass." Minato said his face relaxingly neutral. "You're my best friend and you need to get home so that you can meet your god son."

"My what?" Itachi asked looking at the calm green eyes.

"You heard me." Minato said as he finished closing the wound on the lung. "Now for the incision." He said as he closed the hole he had made. "There." He said determinedly.

Itachi was about to speak when his entire body seized and started to convulse. "What's happening?" Kakashi asked Minato.

"His chakra network is in shock." Sarada said looking at it. "If we don't do anything he's going to die."

Minato nodded his head as the seal on his forehead started to spread, followed by the Sage marking appear, "Gah!" He screamed as golden chakra spread over his body, he held a hand seal as he put his hand on Itachi's forehead. "Didn't you hear me? I said you aren't allowed to die!" He screamed funneling all the healing chakra he had into the Uchiha.

Minato pushed everything he had at once feeling more power than he'd ever felt on his own. Somehow the power felt familiar though, "The cycle ends with us." He said quietly to himself as Itachi stopped convulsing and Minato's power stopped all at once. His seal returned to its normal spot on his forehead as he fell back to the ground.

"Minato!" Sarada screamed seeing his heart stop. "No, no, no, no!" She screamed letting Kakashi go as she ran to the blond. "It's his heart." She said turning back to Kakashi. "He couldn't push that much chakra at once."

Sarada felt herself get pushed to the side and looked to see Itachi staring down at the Uzumaki. "You're right." He said before his hand was surrounded by lightning, "We're all going home!" He screamed as he smacked his palm down on Minato kick starting the heart.

Sarada looked up at Kakashi who was staring in awe. "We need to go back." She said sternly, "They both still need medical attention."

Kakashi nodded his head as his eyes shifted to their mangekyo state and Team Kakashi faded away from the Kamui realm. With the moon created by Naruto and Sasuke floating in the background.

XXXX

Minato woke with a jolt as he sat up in his hospital bed. "It's time!" He screamed sprinting out of the room through the hospital, still wearing his hospital gown.

"Dr. Uzumaki!" One of the nurses screamed trying to grab hold of him.

"Sorry." Minato said jumping over the woman giving her a clear view of his genitals. He landed on the cool linoleum floor and continued running as his feet patted the ground with each step.

He slammed his shoulder into one of the doors to the hospital and looked up the massive stair case. He bent his legs and jumped up from ledge to ledge moving up the floor faster than if he has run them normally.

When he got to the floor he knew he needed to be on he kicked off the opposite wall slamming into the other door flinging it down the hallway as he slid on the cold floor. He looked around quickly and saw that everyone was staring at him.

He didn't say anything because he could tell exactly where he needed to be. He ran past a corner and didn't say anything when he saw Kakashi, and Rin standing outside of a hospital room.

"Minato shouldn't you be…" He stopped when he realized that Minato wasn't listening and went into the room anyway.

"Where is he!" Came an angry scream as Minato looked into the room and saw his wife on one of the beds with her legs up in stirrups.

"I'm here!" He shouted running to the sweaty Kasai.

"Minato!" Sakura shouted seeing her son standing beside his wife.

"How are they?" Minato asked his mother instantly.

"She's ready." Sakura said understanding that nothing she could do or say was going to get him to leave. "Whenever you're ready to push." Sakura said nodding to her daughter in law.

"Ahhh!" Kasai screamed in pain. "What took you so long?" She asked squeezing Minato's hand hard enough to make even him grimace.

"I felt his chakra." Minato said smiling at her. "It was amazing."

"Idiot." Kasai cursed as she continued to push.

"We're almost there." Sakura said as the head started to show.

"You've got this." Kuroto said to her sister holding her other hand.

"Why did you do this to me?" Kasai asked Minato with fire in her eyes. "You're never touching me again!" She screamed as the pain increased, and she squeezed his hand harder causing it to pop.

"Gah." Minato said in pain.

"You think that hurts?" She asked squeezing tighter.

"Here we go." Sakura said holding her grandson, "He's here." She said smiling to the parents.

Minato stepped forward to hold his son, "No." Sakura said with a stern voice. "Mother first." She said walking past Minato and handing the baby boy to Kasai.

"Hello." She said through tear filled eyes. "I guess if we're both crying that's fine." She said to the crying child.

XXXX

Kakashi's leg was bouncing up and down as he turned to see Itachi limping over to him. "Am I too late?" The younger Uchiha asked.

"Just happened." Kakashi said smiling at his former student.

Rin smiled at the young boy and hugged him. "It's good to have you home."

"Thanks." Itachi said smiling as his Aunt hugged him for the first time in a long time.

Sakura came out of the room wiping a tear from her eyes. "Someone wants to meet you two." She said to Rin and Kakashi.

The two walked into the delivery room and marveled at how the light was falling perfectly on the new happy family. Kuroto was standing to the side and taking pictures as Minato and Kasai marveled at their baby boy.

Minato smiled at his family coming in the room. "Everyone, I'd like to formally introduce you to someone."

"Hello." Rin said walking up to them quickly. "You are so lucky to have parents like these two."

Kakashi smiled as he stood beside Minato. "So you going to finally tell us his name?"

Minato smiled a big toothy grin at his family again, "Everyone, this is Obito Uzumaki."

 **Fin**

 **AN: And with 124 chapters that's the end of this saga. I'd like to thank everyone so much for reading this far and enjoying everything I've done. (If you got this far I'm assuming you enjoyed it) And for the last time, be blessed everyone, and for the final time please review.**


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